Call to open Littlemore LTN as Newman Road to close for work

Littlemore councillors Anne Stares and Trish Elphinstone say the traffic measures in Crowell Road should be halted while Newman Road is closed for repairs on August 17-18 between 8am and 6pm.

The road will be shut to allow a utility contractor to "make good a failed repair" they carried out on the road after the county council noticed the error.

Newman Road. (Image: Anne Stares.)

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LTNs - which restrict traffic through residential areas - were introduced in Oxford in May 2022 with the aim of making streets safer but have since proved controversial and been blamed for increasing congestion.

The calls come as the Littlemore roundabout on the eastern bypass was closed to traffic between 8pm on Friday, August 2 and 6am on Monday, August 5 for resurfacing works.

This had also prompted a plea for the county council to open up the Crowell Road LTN as some householders argued this would help ease congestion.

LTNs in east Oxford. (Image: Ed Nix.)
In response to upcoming works, Independent Oxford Alliance city councillor Ms Stares said: "I would remind this council that due to the implementation of ANPR cameras on Crowell Road, Newman Road is a main arterial access road, and therefore once again Littlemore is to be subjected to severe disruption-this time without the courtesy of appropriate warning.

"I am of course requesting that local traffic be allowed to have access through the Crowell Road ANPR during this period as this provides a temporary and important common-sense solution to the potential disruption."

Anne Stares. (Image: Independent Oxford Alliance.)

Labour county councillor for the Littlemore area, Ms Elphinstone, added: "I have asked officers and the cabinet minister for Highways for the Crowell Road to be opened during these works.

"With Newman Road out of action this is the main route out for people from the Herschel Crescent area and they will need to use Cowley Road, Littlemore, instead for all access. 

"Cowley Road is itself a key cycle route leading to Crowell Road and then the Rymer's Lane LTN route.

"I have asked if this alternative option could be considered it would be most appreciated by residents by reducing pressure of traffic to one road and maintaining a safe route for cyclists."

Trish Elphinstone. (Image: Oxford & District Labour Party.)

Oxfordshire County Council says a diversion route via Cowley Road and Oxford Road has been put in place to allow people living in Newman Road to access their properties and the wider highway network during this time.

A spokesman added: "As a result there are no plans to relax the LTN traffic restriction on Crowell Road.

"The impact of the closure on the highway network will be monitored during its duration."

Newman Road will close for repair works. (Image: Anne Stares.)

Ms Stares said she had found out about the closure through Facebook.

The county council spokesman added: "As part of the temporary road closure process the council will always inform stakeholders, including parish and county councillors and Oxford City Council at the earliest opportunity. In this case that was on August 8."

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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