Anger has been expressed over the approval of a cycling trial on Sheep Street in Bicester which the majority "did not support".
The trial was approved by Andrew Gant, cabinet member for transport management, at an Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) meeting last Thursday (November 14).
This comes after 80 per cent of respondents to a public consultation "did not support" the trial going ahead.
OCC is looking into seeking permission to have Fridays, the day of Bicester Market, as an exception to the trial.
Conservative county councillor, Donna Ford, raised concerns about the trial at the meeting and has since slammed the council, who she says has "ignored" the consultation responses.
A spokesperson for OCC said "all the responses were taken into consideration".
However, Ms Ford said: "It is extremely disappointing that over 1200 residents took the time to respond to the consultation and the majority were completely ignored.
"There are still unanswered questions such as how accidents and near misses can be reported and the current unenforced restrictions around the area.
"By approving this, the Liberal Democrat/Green county council would be sending a clear message to residents of Bicester that what they want doesn’t matter and that they do not believe in democracy.
READ MORE: Majority 'did not support' cycling trial in Bicester street
"This decision raises more questions regarding if residents will be listened to regarding future important consultations around market square."
The owner of The White Hart on Sheep Street, John O'Leary, said he "couldn't believe it" when he heard the trial had been approved.
"No matter what we do or say, we still get ignored," he told us.
"It is a busy street. Safety is number one.
"It’s not good for businesses or for the people who use the street."
"In Britain, we don't have this understanding because our cities aren't setup for cycling and that is why I am against this proposal for Bicester.
"I am disappointed that OCC have chosen to go ahead with this scheme.
"Residents I have spoken to have been in a significant majority against the proposal."
"We realise there are, rightly, concerns about cyclists and pedestrians sharing space," they added.
READ MORE: Closure proposed for Bicester London Road Crossing
Dean Giddy, owner of Phoneland Repair Centre on Sheep Street, said: "I’m all for the green aspect of it, but I think for pedestrians it’s going to cause a problem."
He believes a better solution would be to have times, particularly when the street is busy between 9am and 5pm, when cyclists are not allowed.
"There’s always compromises to be had and I don’t think [the council has] taken compromise into account," he added.
The spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council added: "Evidence from other locations where similar arrangements are in place show that pedestrians are not subject to increased danger as cyclists alter their behaviour to accommodate the shared space.
"It is important to note that this scheme has been approved for an 18-month trial, starting from mid-February 2025 an additional public consultation will be held in the first six months of operation.
"This will enable people to give their views on how the trial is progressing, potentially allowing amendments to be made or ending the trial."
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