A new action group has been launched to ensure businesses are properly consulted on transport measures designed to reduce traffic in Oxford city centre.
Hotelier Jeremy Mogford has helped to launch Oxford Business Action Group after the city and county councils last month revealed joint proposals to cut car use in the city, with the introduction of a city-wide workplace parking levy, traffic filters and a Zero Emission Zone to cover the entire city centre.
Consultations on the proposals will take place this summer, with the schemes to be implemented from next year.
By reducing the number of cars, the councils hope to reduce air pollution, increase the reliability of public transport and improve cycle routes.
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Mr Mogford, who owns Old Bank Hotel featuring Quod restaurant in High Street, Old Parsonage Hotel and Gees restaurant, said: “I am one of the founders of this new group which is uniting businesses from across the city.
“Our aim is to be taken seriously while we are still dealing with these issues which are well and truly in the pipeline.
“Whether we will be able to reverse any of these proposals I do not know.
“We want to be consulted so that we are part of the decision-making process, rather than the voice of protest.
“Measures including new bus gates or traffic filters could have a detrimental effect on people’s livelihoods and once they are in place could take years to remove.”
Business leaders, traders and councillors gathered at Quod last week for the launch of the new group, which is designed to give businesses, including those from Jericho, Botley, Headington, Cowley Road, Iffley Road and St Aldate’s more input into strategic decisions affecting the city centre.
At the launch, Mr Mogford told business leaders: “We want to be consulted in advance when they are thinking about introducing bus gates.
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“The Zero Emission Zone is coming - we are not against electric vehicles but there is an unseemly haste in the councils want to introduce these measures.
“It needs a sensible timeframe to be introduced so the associated burden of extra costs can be mitigated - let us have a proper timescale for these measures.
“Various measures are being put forward to a large extent as a result of a government advance of money.
“Zealots who have a fixation against the car are using this opportunity to impose their solution to climate change on us without consultation.”
Last month Mr Mogford warned that new measures, including traffic filters, would be ‘another nail in Oxford’s coffin’, adding: “It’s like we are in a heavyweight boxing ring and we are getting massive punches left, right and centre, without any regard to the commercial heart of the city - it is anti-car and anti-business.”
Jericho restaurateur Bernadette Evans appealed to councillors to ‘collaborate with OBAG, and added: “Segregating our communities with bus gates will mean lost business and lost jobs.”
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Oxford city councillor Chewe Munkonge, the council’s champion for inclusive economy, told the launch: “Businesses are a lifeline of any community. They should be consultees on policies the councils are introducing.”
The workplace parking levy would charge businesses with more than 11 staff parking spaces on their premises £11.50 per month per vehicle.
The city and county councils will not be exempt.
Funds raised, estimated to be about £40m over 10 years, will be used to improve transport infrastructure in the city with a focus on bus services and cycling lanes.
Six traffic filters will be installed which could limit access to certain streets, allowing only buses, cyclists and pedestrians to pass.
These are proposed for St Clement’s as well as Marston Ferry Road, Hollow Way, St Cross Road, Thames Street and Hythe Bridge Street.
The Zero Emission Zone has already been launched in a small number of city centre streets, prior to the zone’s expansion.
Tom Hayes, the city council’s cabinet member for green transport and zero carbon Oxford, gave details about the timescale for consultation in a written response to Liberal Democrat city councillor Dr Christopher Smowton.
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He said: “The final decisions on the location and timing of operation of traffic filters and exemptions are subject to detailed traffic flow modelling and a year-long democratic discussion with citizens and many key stakeholders before going out to a full public consultation.”
Oxford’s cycling campaign group Cyclox has welcomed the launch of the city’s Zero Emission Zone.
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