New "sustainable travel" transport changes will come to a major city road despite claims from critics they are "anti-motorist nonsense" and will "make rush hour morning traffic into Oxford worse for all commuters".
Cabinet member for Infrastructure and Development Judy Roberts approved the bus, cycling and walking "improvements" for Woodstock Road in a cabinet member for transport management meeting on Thursday morning (July 18.
This comes as the cabinet member for transport management, Andrew Gant was unable to attend.
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The changes are focused on the area between St. Giles and the Wolvercote Roundabout (A40).
They include a new zebra crossing approximately 20 metres south of the junction with Bevington Road, a new section of off-carriage way cycle path on the western side of Woodstock Road between the junctions with Frenchay Road and St. Margaret’s Road, and new "and improved" side road crossings.
The side roads referred to are Bevington Road, St. Margaret’s Road, South Parade, Little Clarendon Street, Observatory Street, St Bernard's Road, Plantation Road, Leckford Road, Canterbury Road, Farndon Road and St. Margaret’s Road.
They also include "an experimental trial (ETRO) for a removal of part of the 24-hour southbound bus lane between the Wolvercote roundabout (A40) and Squitchey Lane and replacement with a northbound bus lane of similar length alongside necessary supplementary measures".
Additionally, there will be implementation of a bus stop clearway near Little Clarendon Street, an experimental trial to relocate a marked parking bay (limited stay parking) outside Belsyre Court in Woodstock Road as well as a "range of localised measures" to improve the conditions of parts of the road.
Speaking after the meeting, Ms Roberts said: "Oxford looks forward to a greater demand for sustainable travel solutions to meet expected increases in population and jobs.
"These plans are one part towards answering that need on one of our city’s busiest roads.
“We have committed to making sure our highways are safer and work better for all our road users.
"We are implementing cycle way improvements and crossings that really prioritise the safety of people walking and wheeling.”
But there had been some concerns raised by Oxford householders as part of a formal consultation undertaken from May 8 to June 5 where letters were sent to people along Woodstock Road and side roads with proposed entry treatments.
There was a mixture of support and objection to the proposals, but with slightly more 'supporting' or 'strongly supporting' as opposed to 'objecting' or 'strongly objecting'.
One Oxford householder, whose name was not disclosed, said: "This is economically ruinous. More woke, anti-motorist nonsense. OCC Transport Strategy is not fit for purpose. Inadequate policies designed by inadequate councillors."
Meanwhile, other respondents raised concern about what they claimed would result in an increase in morning rush hour traffic.
One Oxford householder said they "strongly oppose" the bus lane reversal ETRO.
They added: "Bus journeys will be slower. Car journeys will be slower.
"Congestion without the southbound bus lane will be worse.
"Schoolchildren on the east side of the road will be put at even greater risk on this busy school route.
"Bus travel will be discouraged and only afternoon bus journeys out of the city will benefit when this is the least critical of the two daily journeys for most people who have an obligation to get to school or work promptly in the morning."
But a representative of the Oxford bus company said they had "unequivocal support" for the proposal.
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About the author
Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county.
She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.
Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi
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