GOOGLE Maps suggest that barriers from a low-traffic scheme could remain in place until March 2022.
Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) were introduced to Church Cowley, Temple Cowley, and Florence Park in March by Oxfordshire County Council in the hope to reduce congestion and traffic pollution while making streets safer for cycling.
Earlier this week it was revealed that the LTN trial scheme in the Cowley area had been re-set to account for the start of an e-scooter trial that was also being implemented in the area.
Read also: LTN trial in Cowley to be extended until November
This meant that the earliest the trial could end would be November 2021, and the latest trial could end in March 2022.
Information about the road closures on the satellite navigation device Google Maps, however, seems to suggest some of the LTN barriers are more likely to stay put until next year.
The navigating system shows that due to the barrier on Temple Road, the street would 'closed until Mar 2022'.
Google Maps does expose disparities, however, as when one clicks on the road barrier on Liddell Road and the barrier on Littlemore Road, it states that the road will only be closed until July 28 - in other words, before the trial would be completed.
The site says that Bartholomew Road, where another LTN bollard is placed, will be closed until September 2021.
The council said these inconsistencies in the dates on Google Maps are due to a 'glitch' in the system and insisted 'no LTN blocks would be removed in July'.
Read also: Where are the new LTNs going in East Oxford?
The issues with the navigation system come less than 24 hours after the BBC reported another 'glitch' on the system that showed dozens of roads in Oxford incorrectly appearing shut on satellite navigation devices, including both Google Maps and TomTom.
The issue meant that hardly any routes in East Oxford appeared to be open.
The council said the issue occurred after it submitted new data about the LTNs to Google's 'network management system' - this issue has now been resolved.
A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said, regarding the incorrect removal dates for the LTN barriers in Cowley: "The council’s Network Coordination team submitted some data into its network management system which Google Maps uses to list the roadblocks in the Cowley and Florence Park areas that make up the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs).
"However, a glitch emerged with how the data presented itself on-screen.
"No LTN blocks will be removed in July.
"Only a small number of roads in the area have the LTN roadblocks involved and the current view showing so many closed is an error.
"Our Network Coordination team is working to resolve this issue and any inaccuracies on dates as soon as possible."
Read here: 'Furious and aggressive driver' rams vehicle into protestor
This week, the council revealed plans to install more LTNs across the city.
Consultation for 14 LTN barriers across East Oxford (including the Divinity Road, St Mary's, and St Clement's region) began on June 8.
The consultation period will end on June 29.
If you would like to provide feedback on any of the LTNs please visit consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk
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