Well-known Oxford businessman and father of Hollywood actress Florence Pugh has gone to war against Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs), by erecting a scathing billboard on the side of his restaurant.

Clinton Pugh, who owns Café Coco, Kazbar and Café Tarifa in Cowley Road, has unveiled the anti-LTN billboard on the side of Café Coco.

The passionate sign describes Cowley Road as the city’s “most diverse and unique road” and called the LTNs an “ill thought out traffic experiment”.

READ MORE: Oxford cyclist says their commute has become 'more dangerous'

Oxford Mail: The sign has been placed on the side of Cafe CocoThe sign has been placed on the side of Cafe Coco (Image: Newsquest)

The East Oxford LTN scheme was installed in May and the project has been controversial to say the least.

The council has been forced to spend thousands of pounds repairing the planters and bollards after “unprecedented levels of vandalism”, including the LTNs been ran over, pulled out of the ground and set on fire.

This week, the authority revealed it would spend a further £100,000 to replace the plastic bollards with steel ones.

Video footage from local residents has also shown drivers deliberately destroying the LTNs, including a DPD delivery driver, a taxi and several vans and cars.

Oxford Mail: Vandals have attacked the LTNs multiple times Vandals have attacked the LTNs multiple times (Image: Archive)

Despite the vandalism, supporters of the traffic scheme have also come out in force and have acted as ‘human bollards’ by ensuring vehicles do not pass through the damaged sites.

The restaurateur’s billboard states that 95 per cent of businesses in the area have seen footfall and turnover drop.

“They cannot survive without customers coming from other parts of the city and county,” the sign reads.

As well as a scathing attack on the LTN scheme itself, the billboard also contains a QR code which leads people to a GoFundMe page which is raising money to challenge the project.

Mr Pugh has been approached for comment.

Oxfordshire County Council has been approached for comment.

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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