The Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Oxfordshire Council met on Wednesday 04 February 2026 to discuss road safety initiatives and the repair of defects on the county's roads. Key decisions included agreeing to a series of recommendations to improve road safety, enhance communication regarding highway maintenance, and recruit more Bikeability instructors. The committee also agreed to add school streets to its future agenda and to monitor changes to Household Waste and Recycling Centre bookings.

Road Safety Initiatives in Oxfordshire

The committee reviewed a comprehensive report on road safety initiatives in Oxfordshire, presented by Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet member for Transport Management, alongside officers from Environment and Highways, Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service, and the Vision Zero team. Thames Valley Police (TVP) also provided a statement.

Councillor Gant emphasised that road safety is central to all transport policy, with the Vision Zero strategy aiming to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries. Initiatives highlighted included the countywide 20mph programme, expansion of school streets, and the delivery of segregated active-travel infrastructure. The Head of Service for Highway Maintenance and Road Safety stressed the importance of managing maintenance and safety collaboratively, with Vision Zero guiding all efforts.

The Road Safety Education Team Manager from Oxfordshire Fire & Rescue Service detailed how road safety education, including pedestrian and cycle training for over 6,000 children annually, has been integrated into the Fire & Rescue Service's Prevention team. Challenges in recruiting Bikeability instructors were discussed, with plans to create a new recruitment pool and collaborate with neighbouring councils and institutions to build a more resilient training model.

Concerns were raised about the condition of cycle lanes, the risks posed by potholes, and the visibility of cyclists, particularly in poor weather or at night. Officers acknowledged these issues, explaining that maintenance programmes are informed by collision data, road conditions, and cycling patterns, with interventions such as surface dressing and drainage improvements being implemented.

The committee discussed the speed of buses on arterial routes, with officers noting that while 20mph limits are widely implemented, decisions on major routes in Oxford are linked to broader transport considerations. Improving bus reliability and reducing congestion were seen as safety measures that reduce conflict points for cyclists.

The handling of post-collision information was also examined, with a case highlighting inconsistent reporting from TVP to the Council. Officers committed to strengthening the system for timely intelligence sharing. The effectiveness of the 20mph programme was questioned, with officers reaffirming its importance for Vision Zero and noting that behavioural change takes time.

FixMyStreet was discussed as a key tool for defect reporting, with officers confirming that improvements were underway to address issues such as premature closure of reports and clearer communication. The committee agreed to a series of recommendations aimed at improving road safety, including:

• Enhancing post-collision responses regarding communication and follow-up, particularly for serious incidents.
• Launching a campaign to recruit more Bikeability instructors and investigate limiting factors.
• Improving the road-safety website and marketing for clearer public information and better visibility of safety campaigns.
• Strengthening communication between officers and members, with clearer reporting routes and updates.
• Ensuring Vision Zero/road-safety data is taken to locality meetings for more granular analysis.
• Developing a specific pedestrian-safety programme focused on areas with high numbers of fatal and serious pedestrian casualties.
• Working with Thames Valley Police to increase enforcement, including the use of more speed cameras.
• Reviewing the use and deployment of Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS) to assess effectiveness and improve the process.
• Updating the Vision Zero Action Plan to accurately reflect completed or overdue actions.
• Encouraging primary schools to have road safety leaders.
• Advocating nationally for improved HGV safety standards, such as type-approval requirements.

Repairing of Defects and Superuser Report

The committee reviewed a report on the process of repairing defects on Oxfordshire's roads, presented by Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet member for Transport Management, alongside officers and representatives from MGroup Highways.

The report detailed that over 41,000 highway defects had been raised and actioned since January 2025, with approximately 25% originating from FixMyStreet reports. The majority of these were carriageway potholes. The report acknowledged that while the transition to a new contract with MGroup had been largely successful, there were imperfections, particularly concerning outstanding repairs. Unprecedented operational challenges, including severe winter weather, had led to a significant increase in potholes and placed a strain on resources.

A Project Improvement Team (PIT) had been established, involving both Council and MGroup staff, to identify efficiencies and address issues such as duplicate defect requests, variable work instruction quality, premature closure of defects, and the clarity of response to FixMyStreet enquiries. Thirty-six specific actions were identified, with 22 completed and 14 in progress. Benefits from these improvements, such as adherence to new benchmarking standards for defect repairs and a reduced failure rate, were beginning to be recognised.

Concerns were raised by councillors regarding recurring potholes, the perceived inadequacy of some repairs, and a complex and slow compensation process. Officers acknowledged these frustrations and explained the shift towards an asset-management approach, including more durable structural patches, expanded resurfacing programmes, and improved drainage. They also highlighted the impact of extreme weather on the number of defects and the challenges of resource constraints.

The committee discussed the distinction between planned maintenance budgets and the defect repair programme, with officers admitting that the Council could have reacted more quickly to the recent surge in defects. The effectiveness of temporary repairs, such as sweep-and-fill patches, was questioned, with officers stating these were only used in exceptional circumstances and remained MGroup's liability if they failed.

Communication with residents was identified as an area for improvement, with plans for clearer, more regular updates, including a public-facing statistics dashboard. The importance of local knowledge in prioritising works was stressed, and officers committed to improving locality-based engagement and member responses.

The Superuser volunteer scheme was highlighted as a vital support, with over 230 volunteers actively identifying and reporting defects. Officers agreed to explore additional training and support for Superusers.

The committee also discussed the impact of HGVs on road deterioration and the potential for using higher-specification materials. Officers explained that while various materials were used, universal application of the highest specification was not always cost-effective. Funding for network maintenance was noted as insufficient, with annual allocations falling short of the required amount.

The committee agreed to a series of recommendations aimed at improving the repair of defects, including:

• Improving communications with residents about ongoing works and challenges.
• Launching the new public-facing statistics dashboard.
• Strengthening communication and escalation routes for Councillors, including reviewing the out-of-hours service.
• Increasing visibility and clarity of programmed works, supported by earlier publication of multi-year plans.
• Improving the integration of local knowledge, particularly from elected members, into the prioritisation of repairs and programmed works.
• Reviewing the FixMyStreet process to ensure cases are not closed prematurely and status updates are clearer.
• Enhancing training and support for the Superuser scheme.
• Reviewing approaches to temporary repairs, including failure patterns on bus routes.
• Exploring further measures to limit the impact of HGVs on vulnerable roads.
• Considering whether additional inspection capacity is needed and strengthening inspection processes.
• Continuing to embed learning from repair failures, including materials choices and method improvements.
• Undertaking a review of the impact of cars being significantly heavier on average than previously and the resultant pressure on roads.