Conclusions

The health impact of current traffic flows through Woodstock is considerable, made worse by the poor provision of facilities for pedestrians and cyclists. Construction of a bypass to the east of the town is likely to improve a number of health indicators for residents of the town centre, but worsen them for people living in the vicinity of the bypass and elsewhere along the A44. Imposition of an HGV weight limit might have a greater health benefit, with fewer foreseeable harms, but the effects are hard to predict. It should be borne in mind that people and traffic respond unpredictably to developments such as those proposed, and without a detailed health impact assessment any predictions are little more than conjecture.
Greater health benefits are likely to accrue from a realignment of priorities within Woodstock town to favour pedestrians first (especially those with reduced mobility such as children, the elderly and people with disabilities), followed by cyclists, then local traffic, and finally through traffic and road freight. Effective traffic calming, multiple safe crossing points for pedestrians and cyclists, well maintained and widened pavements, and explicit cycle facilities would all help to improve the health of Woodstock residents, with few foreseeable harmful effects.

Dr Harry Rutter
MA MB BChir MSc
Public Health Physician and
Transport Consultant
July 2001