Oxford: LTNs popular with 'the majority' insists councillor

Prime minister Rishi Sunak ordered the Department for Transport (DfT) to carry out a review of LTNs and at the end of July he told the Sunday Telegraph he wanted to reassure motorists he “was on their side”.

Amid uncertainty as to who will conduct the LTNs review and when work will begin, the Guardian has reported the DfT considers an LTN to be “any scheme where through-motor traffic in residential streets is prevented through either camera-enforced signs or by physical barriers such as bollards or planters, with no date given for when they were installed”.

LTNs in Oxford (Image: Ed Nix)

LTNs have been controversial with East Oxford business owners, with many accusing the county council of not consulting before they were installed.

Traders have argued the traffic measures have “destroyed trade” and made it more difficult for customers to reach their businesses.

However, county councillor and Liberal Democrat Dan Levy warned the government review was simply “political posturing” which “fails to take account of the benefits LTNs have brought”.

Councillor Dan Levy

Mr Levy also highlighted that the government’s decision to extend the scope of the review beyond the most recent LTNs installed from 2020 to 2022 meant LTNs in places such as Rose Hill were at risk.

He said: “People who live within these LTNs have enjoyed not living on a through road.

“Instead, they are able to get around by foot, bike or by other routes.”

LTNs in Oxford (Image: Ed Nix)

Mr Levy said a “majority was in favour of LTNs” in Oxford and this majority of householders was “not silent” but found it “difficult to gain publicity”.

Mr Levy’s concerns were echoed by Zuhura Plummer, campaign director for Oxfordshire Liveable Streets, who suggested poorer areas of Oxford may have their LTNs ripped out.

Ms Plummer said: “The government review does not put a date on when the LTN was installed.

“This means many quiet streets of Oxford could be opened up to lots of cars.”

LTNs in Oxford (Image: Ed Nix)

Ms Plummer said she was worried the most recent LTNs would be “ripped out” while “wealthier parts of Oxford get to keep theirs simply because they’ve had them longer.”

She added: “We think the people Cricket Road deserve to have pollution free, safe streets as much as the people of Hayfield Road.”

Robin Tucker, co-chair of the coalition for health streets and active travel, told the Oxford Mail that if the government intended to review all of the city’s traffic filters then this would be a “massive task” as “many of them date back to at least 1869, when posts were placed in Brasenose Lane because of the annoyance caused by carts.

Duncan Enright, the county council’s cabinet member for travel, said Oxford’s roads have been “jammed with traffic” for decades and this was “causing danger, pollution and stopping people getting where they need easily”.

County councillor Duncan Enright

Mr Enright said the council inherited LTNs from the Conservative Party’s time in control and he was working with Lib Dem and Green Party colleagues to ensure “these work as best as we can”.

Eddie Reeves, the leader of the Conservative group at the county council, said: "Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green Councillors keep spinning the line that the Conservatives love low-traffic neighbourhoods as much as they do.

County councillor Eddie Reeves (Image: Eddie Reeves)

"We don't.

"Rishi Sunak understands that people need their cars to live and work.

"Sadly, local services are run by a coalition of increasingly ideological Labour, Liberal Democrat and Green councillors, who seem unwilling to listen to residents' concerns".

The Department for Transport spokesman said: “Local traffic measures must work for residents, businesses and emergency services.

"That's why we are reviewing the impact of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods introduced by local authorities.”