Where Oxford leads, will Chiswick follow?
On another thread, the forum's principal car-fetishist approvingly noted the efforts of an anti-LTN group in Oxford, led by one Jeremy Mogford.I pointed out that Oxford is hardly exactly comparable to Chiswick, and the car lobby better hope I'm correct, if the latest traffic proposal for Oxford is anything to go by!For it is proposed that the city's inner area be divided into 6 neighbourhoods. Residents of any given neighbourhood will be allowed unlimited car access within their own neighbourhood, but will be restricted from driving directly into a neighbouring neighbourhood to 100 days per year.Meaning that if they wish to travel to an adjoining neighbourhood from Day 101 onwards, they will be compelled to drive out to the ring road and travel round the loop to access the new neighbourhood. (Return travel necessitates the same route.)The penalty for transgressing is suggested as being £70, though it's not yet certain whether this would be per journey ot per day.A maximum of 3 permits per household with several registered adult car owners will be issued and the restrictions will take effect between 7 am and 7 pm, seven days a week in four of the six districts, but not on Sundays in the other two.Buses, coaches, taxis, delivery vans, HGV's, motorbikes, mopeds and bicycles(!) will be exempt and there will be exceptions for blue badge holders and people with caring responsibilities.As expected the aforementioned Jeremy Mogford is fiercely opposed, but he and his campaign are up against the equally determined Oxfordshire Safer Streets group.More details here, though this is behind a paywall:https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/oxford-set-to-cut-its-famous-traffic-jams-by-degrees-nqkrd5xhdP.S. This is not the first time Oxford's traffic problems have received attention:https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1957/feb/13/oxfords-traffic-problem(Note the date!)
Richard Cathcart ● 1426d12 Comments