DOZENS of demonstrators manned the Walton Street barricade this morning to protest against the controversial city road closure.

Supporters from Jericho Connections were out in force from 11am in a bid to raise awareness about the road closure, which they claim is harming local businesses and impacting on residents' lives.

Before chants of 'Save Walton Street' at passers-by a counter-protest group, supporting the road closure, briefly sidled up next to their rivals to make their own feelings heard.

Oxford Mail:

Speaking from the demo organiser of the anti-closure movement Pip McAllister said the measure - which councillor Susanna Pressel previously said had improved traffic flow and led to cleaner air - had split her community.

READ AGAIN: Walton Street in Oxford is set to remain closed to traffic.

She said: "This closure has really caused division and a Brexit kind of division.

"Whatever people feel about it we don't want to see Jericho destroyed. Jericho will become something completely different.

"We are all in favour of improving air quality and we realise the fact that congestion in Oxford is a huge issue.

"They talk about turning it into a quiet, residential road but Walton Street has never been a quiet, residential road since the 1850s."

Oxford Mail:

She said she wanted Oxfordshire County Council to 'work with the community to come up with a solution' and said many residents and businesses had struggled since the closure.

Local firms were also out supporting the protest.

READ AGAIN: Walton Street closure is 'hitting trade’ claims restaurant.

Becky Lee-Allen, from Frog Orange Party, based at the top of Walton Street, said her business had suffered.

She said: "I really need the road to be back open, we are almost 30 per cent down in turnover.

"For us it's almost exactly the same every year we have St Giles' Fair, our takings for these two days are way down.

"What I am living with it feels like it's St Giles' Fair permanently.

"Footfall is down, customers coming in from Botley will not bother coming up any longer, it is having a massive impact and I don't know how much longer we can sustain it."

Oxford Mail:

Many local residents also slammed the road closure, with some saying they felt there had been a lack of consultation.

READ AGAIN: County council's road closure leaflet for Walton Street residents is wrong.

One nearby resident Melissa Matthew called the closure a 'disgrace.'

Another Walton Street resident Mike Stinton said: "It has created a huge amount of congestion on top of what has been created by the Westgate.

"It's the lack of consultation which I find so unpleasant. I think it's ridiculous without even asking what residents think."

Oxford Mail:

The county council first closed the street as part of an 'experimental' traffic order last year.

A consultation is currently open and will invite representations from the public until May 29.

The council is yet to make a decision as to whether or not to keep the road closure in place indefinitely.

To view the consultation or take part visit consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk.