Oxford, Broad Street – Temporary Public Space
Introduction
Our client was a Local Authority for Oxford, for whom TMS had previously carried out Road Safety Audits for. The proposed scheme was to provide a temporary (3 month) public space, which included landscaping, seating, and open areas in what is a heavily vehicular trafficked street. This would provide a place for people to meet and congregate or sit in privacy in an enjoyable space.
The scheme is in a historic street (Broad Street) of Oxford City Centre, which is bordered by college buildings (Balliol College), shops, cafes, and libraries. To facilitate the scheme, the section of Broad Street would be closed to vehicular traffic (except for emergency vehicles). However, during the St Giles Fare, some minor alterations would be made to the scheme to enable buses to pass through. The scheme was to be opened for three months from July 2021, with the hope that the trial may prove popular enough to consider a more permanent scheme in the future. TMS audited the scheme at Stage 1 & 2 in June 2020 and were invited back to carry out the Stage 3 Road Safety Audit in July 2021.
Assessment
The scheme was an interesting one to be involved in, largely due to the significant change in nature and use of what is an important and very historical street within the City Centre. From the Audit Teams observations at the Stage 3 site visit, it was well used by the public for the very activity that it was designed for.
Final Thoughts
The scheme was an interesting one to be involved in, largely due to the significant change in nature and use of what is an important and very historical street within the City Centre. From the Audit Teams observations at the Stage 3 site visit, it was well used by the public for the very activity that it was designed for.