A bus company has forced Oxfordshire County Council to put its plans for 20mph limits in Abingdon on hold.

Andrew Gant, cabinet member for highway management, was forced to back down over introducing 20mph and 30mph limits in Abingdon in the immediate future before further consultation takes place with the Oxford Bus Company.

The Oxford Bus Company strongly opposed Oxfordshire County Council’s “blanket approach” to introducing 20mph limits and said they “would be left with no choice but to withdraw” services unless the council re-considered the plans.

If the “blanket approach” is eventually approved, all the existing 30mph roads in Abingdon will have a new limit of 20mph, except for the peripheral roads and Copenhagen Drive. 

READ MORE: Oxfordshire town roads could all be 20mph under new plans

Mr Gant has also decided to put off a decision on other 20mph schemes in Cumnor, Faringdon, Shrivenham and Steventon, and will make a final decision on 23 March.

Oxford Bus Company and Thames Travel Managing Director Luke Marion said: “We’re relieved Oxfordshire County Council has finally listened to our representations at the 11th hour and once again delayed the decision on its 20mph proposals in Abingdon".

Mr Marion called out the council for undermining their own objectives to reduce CO2 emissions and improve air quality.

He said: “A blanket approach to introducing 20mph speed limits across the town, including on bus routes would hinder the council’s stated objective to remove one in four car journeys to help improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions, as these schemes will make bus services less attractive and lead to a reduction in bus mileage being provided.

“We hope the council now sees sense and works to deliver revised, more balanced proposals that do not take a one glove fits all approach to reducing speed limits to ensure we can maintain bus services for our customers and the community.”

Mr Marion clarified that the Oxford Bus Company was not against 20mph speed limits in residential streets or near schools and shopping centres where “there is regular and planned mixing between motor traffic and vulnerable road users”.

20mph limits were agreed today for areas including Chilton, Church Hanborough and Kidlington.

READ MORE: 'LTNs and bus gates will shut off city' says former councillor

However, Mr Marion said: “The same logic does not apply to larger, strategically more important movement corridors, including large parts of Oxford Road, Wootton Road and Ock Street in Abingdon. 

“Each of these corridors carry multiple bus services and bus priority measures should be being introduced on these corridors, rather than counter-productive measures of unnecessary low speeds to slow buses down.

“As the bus network recovers from the damaging impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has never been more important for the council to support buses and to ensure they are doing all they can to help the network get back on its feet.”

Conservative Liam Walker, shadow cabinet member for highways, criticised the council’s “chaotic rollout” of the 20mph limits.

He said: “I think this delay of 20mph schemes by the cabinet member for highways highlights the chaotic rollout we are seeing of the 20mph programme in Oxfordshire.

“Bus companies are rightly concerned about delays in local bus services, this case for Abingdon and Steventon, and for Abingdon they’ve made it clear they will reduce bus services in the town if the council presses ahead with 20mph plans.

“Since the rollout of 20mph in Witney I have noticed congestion in areas where there wasn’t before. Like many I support 20mph roads but in specific residential areas, outside schools,, or in our small villages.”

A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said: “Decisions on the adoption of a number of 20mph schemes were deferred by Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management today (23 February).

“These included a decision to defer a decision on proposed town-wide 20mph and 30mph limits in Abingdon in order to better understand the concerns raised by the bus companies.

The Oxford Mail reached out to Mr Gant for further comment.