A county council decision to change the direction of a bus lane into the city centre "defies any kind of rational explanation", a householder has said.

Changes to Woodstock Road in Oxford to prioritise cyclists and pedestrians are set to begin on August 12 with the works expected to be completed in March 2025.

As part of the scheme, a section of the bus lane between Wolvercote and Squitchey Lane is being switched from southbound to northbound - from leading into the city to leaving the city.

The county council states the decision will improve bus journey time reliability. 

But Matthew Broadway, who lives in Woodstock Road, said: "Anybody who’s got a set of eyes in their head who looks at the Woodstock Road in the morning will tell you that between 7am and 9am it’s nose to tail already.

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"Getting into town is already a complete nightmare for anyone from Woodstock or Eynsham, or the A34 or A40, which is why the county council has already spent so much money investing in a gold-plated, overengineered bus lane from Yarnton to Peartree and the Woodstock Road.

"All the buses will then sit in traffic when they get to Wolvercote roundabout. It defies any kind of rational explanation.

"When people are making a decision about how to commute they are interested in are they going to get to work when they are contractually obliged to or get to school on time.

"And the rush hour in the evening is much more extended because people leave at different times.

"My daughter goes down to town on the bus to school in five minutes. Under this proposal it will be no quicker by bus than car because they’ll all be sitting in the same lane."

Mr Broadway claims none of the many schools on the road –  St Aloysius, D’Overbroeck, the Dragon pre-prep, St Edwards or Wolvercote - were consulted.

"There must be about 3,000 children travelling down Woodstock Road every day," he said.

"And because they’re starting this work in the second week of August they’re doing all the road safety checks in the school holidays."

He added: "They’re switching it to a northbound direction because the modelling for the traffic filters showed they will increase traffic flow on the northbound side in the morning.

"But they've completely ignored any knock-on effect on the southbound flow."

An Oxfordshire County Council spokesperson said: “Woodstock Road’s bus lane reversal is expected to improve bus journey time reliability, based on initial modelling done as part of preparation for the traffic filters trial.

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"The reversal is strongly supported by both local bus operators; Stagecoach and Oxford Bus Company.

“The reversal will be introduced using an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) which provides an opportunity to monitor measures before committing to a permanent decision.

"The ETRO will allow quick changes to be made if the expected benefits aren’t achieved.

“The proposals were formally consulted from 8 May to 5 June 2024 after a period of co-production with stakeholders.

"There were 114 online responses to the proposal to reverse the bus lane. Of those who responded via the online survey, 42 per cent stated they support or strongly support, and 30 per cent stated they oppose or strongly oppose.

“A second public consultation will run during the bus lane reversal ETRO.”