Can @OxfordCity and @OxfordshireCC please confirm that they evaluate their predictions against outcomes to improve the quality of future decisions. Papers from the Nov 2014 planning meeting where the Westgate was approved show just how wrong they were... https://mycouncil.oxford.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=144&MId=3431&Ver=4 https://twitter.com/OxonTravel/status/1312348615260680200

The "Westgate Centre: committee papers relating to 13/02557/OUT" [warning 26MB file] includes gems such as the following:
https://mycouncil.oxford.gov.uk/documents/b10314/Westgate%20Centre%20committee%20papers%20relating%20to%201302557OUT%20Tuesday%2025-Nov-2014%2018.30%20West%20Area%20Pla.pdf?T=9

"the results of the transport assessment indicate that the proposals are likely to give rise to a significant increase in the total number of trips to and from the City Centre during both weekday and Saturday."
Fair enough, they got that one right...

"On Saturdays when the car park is fuller, transport assessment estimates a significantly higher non-car mode share. During the Saturday inter peak period 95% of all new trips arriving and leaving the city centre would be by non-car modes."

"the Highway Authority indicates that the peak Saturday occupancy for the 5 Park and Ride sites is approximately 46%, suggesting that there should be sufficient capacity at the 5 sites to accommodate the additional demand."

"From this analysis it is clear that the Park and Ride car parks have considerable spare capacity to respond to the additional demands resulting from the development."

"Overall on public transport the Highway Authority confirms that the roads and junctions immediately adjacent to the site would be able to accommodate the predicted additional traffic with improvements, and that any increases in traffic on radial routes would be acceptable."

"A car park management plan would be required however to indicate how congestion would be avoided at Saturday peaks, especially during the Christmas period."

"The entrance to the car park would be barrier controlled with 3 lanes inbound and 3 lanes outbound. A typical capacity for a single lane barrier entrance would be 360 vehicles an hour, and 320 for exit."

"Three lane entry and exit is therefore considered to be adequate to meet demand. Approximately 20 spaces for queuing off the highway are proposed on entry."

"A full Travel Plan will is required by condition to support the proposals. This should seek to reduce reliance on the private car by encouraging other modes and set targets accordingly, with a requirement for subsequent review"
How's that review going @OxfordCity @OxfordshireCC?

The conclusion beggars belief:
"Officers of both City and County Councils are satisfied that the additional demand on the City’s transport infrastructure can therefore be accommodated by the provisions of the strategy outlined above, and that the development can be delivered..."

"...without large increases in traffic volumes, or the need for additional car parking. To that extent the strategy is seen as sitting squarely in line with long adopted and successful policies of traffic and parking restraint."

So in other words, @OxfordCity and @OxfordshireCC didn't foresee the increases in traffic, congestion, air pollution, CO2 emissions, road danger, disruption to bus services, and general inconvenience that this would bring. They need to learn from this mistake, and remedy it.