A six-week consultation on the low traffic neighbourhoods in East Oxford has been announced by the county council.
The LTNs have been controversial with businesses and householders in the area, and the council said the consultation was taking place to gather views on proposed changes to the LTNs and to better understand the impact they have had since they were introduced in May 2022.
The LTNs were first introduced in Church Cowley, Temple Cowley and Florence Parks in February 2021, and were later installed in Divinity Road, St Clement’s and St Mary’s in East Oxford.
They aim to reduce traffic and make neighbourhoods quieter.
The proposed changes include installing automatic number plate recognition cameras instead of bollards on Divinity Road, James Street and Magdalen Road.
READ MORE: Oxford LTNs and pollution: 'Suffering' residents feel 'trapped'
In addition to this, the council’s proposed changes include adding a traffic restriction at the St Clement’s end of Jeune Street and making the street two way south of the restriction.
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County councillor and cabinet member for highways management Andrew Gant said: “We have encouraged people to share their views with us throughout the trial of the east Oxford LTNs.
“I’m pleased we are giving people another opportunity to offer detailed feedback.
“Vandalism has interfered with running the trial and made it harder for us to fairly assess its impact.
“Now that the wooden bollards are in place, the extra information from this consultation will supplement the survey data we gathered last year, and the extensive monitoring and evaluation data we are still building up.
“We need as much information as possible to take to cabinet when we make a decision on the trial later this year and we will consider all feedback received.”
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Mr Gant said the proposed changes addressed “common suggestions for improvement”.
The cabinet member also clarified that changes would only go ahead if a decision is made to keep the LTNs in place when the cabinet makes a final decision on the trial later this year.
Cowley Road traders have told the Oxford Mail on numerous occasions that they were not properly consulted by the county council before the LTNs were installed last year.
The council’s online survey has been launched today, June 5, and it will be open until 5pm on Thursday, July 20 on the council’s Let’s talk Oxfordshire digital engagement and consultation platform.
Other proposed changes include moving the restrictions on Bullingdon Road to the south-west to a point east of the junction with Hurst Street and changing parking arrangements near the industrial estate on Marston Street.
A final decision on the LTNs in Oxford will be made by the cabinet in October this year and this will include reflecting on the results of the consultation.
The council previously ran a six-month consultation between May and November 2022.
The survey can be found on the council's website at https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/east-oxford-ltns-2023.
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