Residents have been quick to share their thoughts on the draft designs for an improvement scheme for a town's high street.

Oxfordshire County Council has launched a four-week survey to hear people’s views on proposals it said will "enhance Witney High Street and Market Square while improving walking, wheeling and cycling".

The scheme is funded by a £1.98 million grant from Active Travel England granted on the basis that the ban on private vehicles in the high street and Market Square imposed in 2020 remains in place.

A ban on most private vehicles was introduced in 2020 despite opposition (Image: Ed Nix) New images released by the county council sparked a mixed reaction.

Chair of the Chamber of Commerce Richard Martin, who has led traders' opposition to the high street traffic restriction, called them "a lovely artist’s impression of a controlled, Stepford scene" and "truly bizarre!"

He said: "Is that it? Two and a half-plus years after Oxfordshire County Council kept the High Street closed with no plan whatsoever, and against the findings of their own consultation, and the several times expressed consensus of the High Street traders, it finally releases some ideas around a motley and fairly slight arrangement of street furniture, and some planting!

"After all this time, they have the gall to write that they would like to 'understand what the priorities are'! What have they been doing for the last few years?

"The sad fact is that even after all this time the county council have still not put forward clear plans for the traffic management."

Henry Mo, whose business Sandwich de Witney lost trade because it fell within the restricted traffic area, said: "Witney is becoming another clone town, money wasted on consultation followed by consultation then the final decisions are decided by planners who don't live in Witney.

"They should keep Witney how it was before, a bustling heritage town. The wheel was working fine then."

Barry Ingleton, who stood as an Independent MP candidate for Witney at the general election asked: "What is the overall aim of these changes and will it help businesses as well as these who are going to the town? It has to benefit both in tandem."

However, many others took to social media to say that if Witney town centre could be said to be struggling at all it was because high business rates mean shops can't compete with their booming online competition.

£15,000 buildouts were installed on top of planters in late 2023 (Image: Witney Conservatives) District and county councillor for Witney South & Central Andrew Coles said the design "is a next step in improving Witney town centre, supporting our market and local businesses and making it a much more beautiful, social and welcoming place with great services."

And Duncan Enright, deputy leader of West Oxfordshire District Council and county councillor for Witney North and East, said he was "delighted" to share the proposals.

He said: "It is just a first step, but a good start in improving Witney centre, supporting our businesses and making it a more beautiful, social and welcoming place with great services."