NEW footage has been released showing multiple incidents of vandalism to low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) across Oxford.
The footage, which has been released by a group of residents in Oxford, shows damage being committed to LTN barriers in both Littlemore Road and Howard Street, including a man pouring concrete into a bollard hole and a female cyclist allegedly being ‘threatened with being run over’
In the new footage shot from a CCTV camera on Littlemore Road, a man removes a bollard from the street and deposits it into a resident’s wheelie bin.
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Another scene at 3am shows a hooded figure pouring cement into a hole where the bollard once stood.
Oxfordshire County Council introduced the measures this year to in attempts to ‘reduce traffic, make bus journeys faster and make walking and cycling safer’.
However, the measures have divided communities across the county with some groups saying the LTNs have impacted businesses with some resulting in closures.
This has resulted in some cases of vandalism leading Oxford County Council decided last month to spend £100,000 to replace the plastic bollards in East Oxford with steel ones to prevent further damage.
Despite the damage, the authority decided to approve six more filters on St Cross Road, Thames Street, St Clements and Hythe Bridge Street.
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They will be equipped with surveillance cameras and will prevent private cars travelling through much of the centre of the city without a permit.
Other vehicles, including buses, coaches, taxis, vans, mopeds and HGVs, will continue to have access at all times.
Speaking about the vandalism, Zuhura Plummer, campaign director for Oxfordshire Liveable Streets, said: "It makes me feel really sad and it makes me feel really frustrated. It is vandalism, it's destroying public property and that's paid for by our taxes.
"Much more than that it's kids who are used to going to school down that road, they've gotten used to it maybe learning to ride a bike and the bollards been taken out and a car drives straight through.
"And what I worry about is one day somebody being really badly hurt or killed because a bollard has been taken out."
Sarah Lockyer, a resident who lives just off Iffley Road, added: “I love LTNs - But it is a nightmare when drivers and vandals are behaving like this, it just beggars belief.
“I see so many more kids walking and cycling to school. There are hundreds of them getting around by themselves.
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“It didn't used to be like this. I can travel so much easier now - before it was a nightmare trying to get my wheelchair down the pavements - parked cars, bins and the camber literally tipped me into the road.”
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Read more from this author
This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.
Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk
Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland
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