From: Dare-Edwards, MartinSent: 25 June 2013 14:16To: 'Jones, HuwV - Environment & Economy - Highways & Transport'Cc: Cllr Ian Hudspeth; Fermer, Paul - Environment & Economy - Highways & Transport; Patey, John -Environment & Economy; mark.doodes@southandvale.gov.uk; Nixon, Rachel - Environment &Economy - Highways & Transport; Payne, Odele - Environment & Economy - Highways & Transport;Hamid, Farakh - Environment & Economy - Highways & TransportSubject: RE: Infineum UK Ltd Objection to Tesco Planning Application (P13/V1139/FUL)Importance: High

For the attention of Mr Huw Vaughan Jones and others cc’d in yesterday’s communication.

I thank you for your attention to my recent letter (on behalf of Infineum UK) highlightingvarious specific points of objection to the proposed Tesco Dotcom development at Milton Hill.On behalf of Infineum UK, I wish to highlight some points of clarification and also systematicdisagreement with various elements of your response:

1. Regarding the additional traffic issue (your paragraph 2), I note that the so-called“permitted use of the site” (to which I believe you are referring the Outline planningconsent in 2006) did not at the time of the original proposal make extensiveconsultation nor considerations of details of access-egress safety and traffic flow at(and adjacent to) the entrance to the site.

I particularly note that no account is appearing to be taken within the current PlanningApplication, of the substantially increased traffic flows (both Northwards andSouthwards on the A4130) that have arisen since 2006. This increased traffic flow isparticularly associated with the substantial growths of employment at Milton Park andthe Harwell Campus. I note also that recent UK government approval of EnterpriseZone status for designated areas on those two sites creates further prospect ofmarked increases in commuting and business deliveries to those two sites.

As I am sure you will appreciate the occurrence of traffic congestion is a “criticalphenomenon”, meaning that when traffic flows approach a “critical point”, thefrequency of severe congestion events (in the form of actual stationary traffic jams)rises exponentially. From the experience of Infineum’s own staff and on-sitecontractors, we already recognise (with current traffic levels) the substantiveoccurrence of such severe congestion events, and at other times significant safetyrisks arising when turning right onto or off the Milton Hill site.

2. Your apparent disregard for the safety of cyclists (your paragraph 4) from yourpresumption that they represent only a small proportion of Infineum’s workforce, I findunhelpful and insulting. We have a sizeable community of regular cyclists to our site,naturally swelled in numbers during the summer months. I am sure neither of uswould wish to be in a position in future where a serious incident involving a cyclistarises at or adjacent to the site entrance, which evidently could have been avoidedwith an improved access, and locally-throttled speed. Your further unfoundedpresumption (your paragraph 8) that a roundabout at the entrance to the site wouldnot contribute to improved safety, I can confirm is firmly disagreed by those who areregular cyclists, on presumption that such a roundabout would be carefully designed.

3. Your focus on the staff shift changes as contributing to the primary generation of trips(your paragraph 5) is not taking into account the van movements outwards andinwards during the daytimes and early evenings. The addition of only a small numberof such movements during the peak traffic movements along the A4130, and onto/offthe Milton Hill site, will self-evidently create increased occurrence of traffic gridlock in

a southbound direction*, and higher safety risks for the right-turns onto/off site.

* You mention the possibility of a lengthening of the deceleration lane and storagecapacity for the right turn (as might reduce such southbound gridlocks), and I indeedwould welcome that minimal improvement. It remains my contention, and others whowork at this site and the adjacent Milton Hill House, that the far more satisfactorysolution would be for creation of a roundabout, as has evidently been a greatsuccess for access to the nearby Harwell Campus.

Best Regards,Dr Martin Dare-EdwardsUK Country Manager

Infineum UK Ltd.Registered in England Number 3137282 Registered address: P O Box 1, Milton Hill, Abingdon OX13 6BB England(for map/satnav directions use OX13 6BD)Tel: +44-1235-469209 , Fax: +44-1235-549864Mobile: +44-781-804-1360Team Administrator: Sue Towlerton +44-1235-54-9549e-mail: martin.dare-edwards@infineum.com

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This note and any attachments may contain Infineum confidential or proprietary information. If you are an unintended recipient: (i) placeno reliance on the information contained herein; (ii) do not disclose, distribute, or duplicate any information from this note; and (iii)please contact the sender.

From: Jones, HuwV - Environment & Economy - Highways & Transport[mailto:Huwv.Jones@Oxfordshire.gov.uk]Sent: 24 June 2013 10:17To: Dare-Edwards, MartinCc: Cllr Ian Hudspeth; Fermer, Paul - Environment & Economy - Highways & Transport; Patey, John -Environment & Economy; mark.doodes@southandvale.gov.uk; Nixon, Rachel - Environment &Economy - Highways & Transport; Payne, Odele - Environment & Economy - Highways & Transport;Hamid, Farakh - Environment & Economy - Highways & TransportSubject: RE: Infineum UK Ltd Objection to Tesco Planning Application (P13/V1139/FUL)

Dr Martin Dare-Edwards

I refer to your letter and emails regarding the above.

Your letter sets out concerns under three headings - 1) Proposed traffic movementsto/from A4130, 2) Safety on the access road, and 3) Noise. Clearly noise is aplanning issue and not one for us as Highway Authority.

You state that there will be additional traffic in the peak hours and that there will bean increase in volumes of traffic using the A4130 and that the impact of HGVsappears to have been disregarded. It is undoubtedly the case that, compared withthe current situation, there will be additional traffic using both the access road andthe A4130. However, the assessment of the traffic impact has to be made havingregard to the already permitted use of the site and, on this basis, it has beenshown that the amount of traffic likely to be generated by the proposed developmentwill be less than that expected to be generated by a general B8 and B1/2 use of thesite.

The transport assessment has also demonstrated that the number of HGVs usingthe site daily is low, around 8 or 9. In and out this would equate to approximately 16to 18 HGV movements. This has been questioned in my review of the document asbeing too low. However, even a significant percentage increase in this numberwould still result in a modest number of movements.

You also state that the A4130 already has constant traffic flows, particularly headingsouth in the am and north in the pm. The road is used by cyclists travelling to/fromwork and there is queuing caused because the limited width prevents overtaking. Itis interesting that this is raised as a concern, given that you state that the vastmajority of your 500 staff travel by car due to the rural nature of the site and thelimited bus services.

You state that the A4130 is used as an alternative route when the A34 iscongested. It is accepted that on infrequent occasions when incidents occur on theA34 traffic will seek to find alternative routes. This situation, however, is not thenorm and would not justify improvements to the A4130 route. Neither could anycosts for dealing with its effect be placed on the proposed development. With theshift patterns that Tesco will operate between 4am-12.00pm, 12.00pm-8pm and8.00pm-4.00am the trip generation does not impact on the peak hour congestion.

Tesco have suggested that most of their vans will turn left out and right in and youclaim that this will lead to congestion at the junction and increased queues on A4130and access road. Given that there is a right turning lane on the A4130, it can beexpected that these turns (left out and right in) will be the easiest movements tomake and will result in the least amount of delay at the access point. I havesuggested that the right turn lane should be improved to standards and this wouldinvolve a lengthening of the deceleration lane and an increase in the storagecapacity. Queues on the access road are not a concern of the highway authorityunless they are seen to have a detrimental impact on the public highway.

The increased difficulties you state for vehicles to enter and exit the access roadraise considerable safety concerns. If the layout of the junction and the right turnlane are improved to meet current standards, then there is no reason to concludethat safety will be a concern. The advantage of having a major/minor junction, asopposed to a roundabout, is that through traffic on A4130 is not delayed. The levelsof traffic, both on A4130 and the access, do not warrant the introduction of aroundabout junction (ref DMRB TD42/95 Fig 2.2).

It is pointed out that Tesco, through their Travel Plan, will encourage their staff to usecycles and motorcycles, and a roundabout would improve safety for these users.This is not likely to be the case and roundabouts are actually very difficult junctionsto negotiate for cyclists. They also operate very efficiently a car sharing club at othersites and this will be carried out here.

With regard to your comments that Tesco intend to remove the current 15 mphspeed limit on the access road and this is considered to be inappropriate. As this isa private road the limit can only be advisory and not a matter for us as HighwayAuthority.

I am also at present negotiating some of the matters raised above with Tesco’sTransport consultants.

However it must be reiterated that permission already exists on this site for a muchmore intense operation.

Should you require further information or any additional clarification please do nothesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards

Huw

Huw Vaughan Jones

Principal EngineerTransport Development Control (Oxford City, South Oxon and The Vale).Planning and InfrastructureOxfordshire County Council.

Tel No:- 01865 815947

_____________________________________________From: Dare-Edwards, MartinSent: 13 June 2013 15:52To: 'hughv.jones@oxfordshire.gov.uk'Cc: mark.doodes@southandvale.gov.uk; councillor@matthewbarber.co.uk; Hudspeth, Ian (OCCLeader)Subject: FW: Infineum UK Ltd Objection to Tesco Planning Application (P13/V1139/FUL)Importance: High

To Huw Vaughan Jones, Transport Development Control, Oxfordshire County Council

Huw,

I am copying you on the letter that I sent yesterday to the Vale of White Horse PlanningDepartment as our formal objection to key details of the Tesco Planning Application(P13/V1139/FUL) on the former Esso Research Centre land, adjoining the Infineum site.

I appreciate that some of the matters that I have raised are only relevant for Infineum andsome other immediate neighbours (e.g. Milton Hill House Hotel – De Vere Venues).

However, I should like to draw your specific attention to the aspects of concern for Safety atthe access point to the “joint site”, and the associated inevitable impact on free flow of trafficalong the A4130, both of which I believe to be matters of concern with broader regionaleconomic-consequences. The broader impacts for traffic flow are particularly:

i. In a southerly direction to access the Harwell Oxford campus and Wantage, being likelybacking-up of vehicles resulting from additional vehicles turning right onto the Tesco +Infineum site

ii. In a northerly direction, additional congestion along the A4130 towards the A34 Milton Parkinterchange such as to access the A34, Milton Park and Didcot

Both of these traffic flow issues indicate significant detrimental implications of Tesco’sproposal on the prospects (i.e. inward investment and growth-investment) of our “vital” UKHigh-Growth region in Southern Oxfordshire, and specifically the Government approved“Science Vale UK Enterprise Zone” at Harwell Oxford and Milton Park.

You will observe that Infineum is specifically requesting for the Planning conditions to includecreation of a new roundabout at the joint access to the A4130, indeed following a precedentalready established for accessing the Harwell Oxford site. It is also understood that the localCouncil(s) is/(are) already proposing roundabouts to be installed at the two “ends” ofFeatherbed Lane.

Finally, I should also like to highlight specific concerns for Safety and Traffic-flow that wouldarise during the Construction Phase for the proposed Tesco development (if approved). Ihave already conveyed Infineum’s firm view that access to the construction site during thatphase should be via a new/temporary access from Featherbed Lane on a “Left-Turn Only”basis. A similar temporary access arrangement was made by Infineum during the conduct ofthe Construction for our R&D Centre at the Milton Hill site during 2004-5.

Best Regards,Dr Martin Dare-EdwardsUK Country Manager

Infineum UK Ltd.Registered in England Number 3137282 Registered address: P O Box 1, Milton Hill, Abingdon OX13 6BB England(for map/satnav directions use OX13 6BD)Tel: +44-1235-469209 , Fax: +44-1235-549864Mobile: +44-781-804-1360Team Administrator: Sue Towlerton +44-1235-54-9549e-mail: martin.dare-edwards@infineum.com

Infineum: Performance you can rely on.This note and any attachments may contain Infineum confidential or proprietary information. If you are an unintended recipient: (i) placeno reliance on the information contained herein; (ii) do not disclose, distribute, or duplicate any information from this note; and (iii)please contact the sender.

_____________________________________________From: Dare-Edwards, MartinSent: 12 June 2013 13:58To: 'mark.doodes@southandvale.gov.uk'Subject: Infineum UK Ltd Objection to Tesco Planning ApplicationImportance: High

Mark,

Please find attached a copy of the letter sent to you today as our formal response to Tesco’splanning application for the neighbouring site to ours at Milton Hill, objecting to some keydetails of the proposal.

The letter has also been loaded into your Planning Application comments system although Ihave not seen any registration of that comment appear on the website.

I should note that it is my intention also to use the basis of the letter for my directengagements with leading representatives of the Vale of White Horse District Council (the

formal planning authority), and additionally from Oxfordshire County Council (the relevanthighways authority).

We have previously also communicated to Tesco’s Community Engagement Representativethe closely associated “headline-comments” from our on-site staff representative body“Infusion”. I have also uploaded these comments onto your on-line Planning Applicationcomments system (see below):

Best Regards,Dr Martin Dare-EdwardsUK Country ManagerInfineum UK Ltd.Registered in England Number 3137282 Registered address: P O Box 1, Milton Hill, Abingdon OX13 6BB England(for map/satnav directions use OX13 6BD)Tel: +44-1235-469209 , Fax: +44-1235-549864Mobile: +44-781-804-1360Team Administrator: Sue Towlerton +44-1235-54-9549e-mail: martin.dare-edwards@infineum.com

Infineum: Performance you can rely on.This note and any attachments may contain Infineum confidential or proprietary information. If you are an unintended recipient: (i) placeno reliance on the information contained herein; (ii) do not disclose, distribute, or duplicate any information from this note; and (iii)please contact the sender.