By Andy Chivers
Local schemes are primarily designed to reduce air pollution and congestion, not to tackle climate change or replace lost tax, so it is important to know what the aim of a scheme is and be clear about the conflicting pressures and unintended consequences of any initiative.
By Alison Hill
The Woodstock Road in Oxford is a beautiful long road with fine old Victorian houses on the southern end, and shaded by trees lining the roadside and overhanging from gardens and playing fields. But as with all our main roads into the city, it is blighted by long traffic queues morning and evening, creating jams, rat-running through residential streets, pollution and noise.
By Alison Hill
Speed kills. The risks of injury and death when a cyclist or pedestrian is hit by a vehicle increases the faster the vehicle is travelling. A pedestrian hit at 40mph has a 31% chance of being of being killed; at 30mph that risk goes down to 7%: and at 20mph the risk is very low. One of the simplest and easiest ways to reduce injury to people who walk and cycle is to reduce the speed limit to 20mph.
By Danny Yee
Consider the junction where the B4495 (Church Cowley Rd) meets the A4158 (Henley Avenue/Rose Hill). Is this the worst junction in Oxford?
By Kate Seal
When I moved to Oxford a few years ago, I became obsessed about where to park my car. Previously I had lived in a rural area where every journey I made was by car. I was shocked to discover that I had to pay for a parking permit and even more shocked to discover how difficult it was to find a parking space near to my house.
By Alison Hill, Chair of Cyclox, Brenda Boardman and Simon Pratt Co-Chairs of CoHSAT
Dear County Councillor,
Congratulations on your election to Oxfordshire County Council. The Coalition of Healthy Streets and Active Travel (CoHSAT) is a group of voluntary and campaigning organisations working across Oxfordshire to create attractive, accessible and people-friendly streets. We want to see a future where everyone is able to walk and cycle for everyday trips on quiet streets and in liveable neighbourhoods, and where no-one has to own a car because there is always an alternative form of transport.
By Alison Hill
At Oxfordshire County Council’s Transport Decisions meeting on the 29th April, Councillor Yvonne Constance ruled that the barriers at the south end of Walton should be removed when the traffic regulation order times out on the 18th May, and that there should be no alternative scheme in place to restrict traffic along Walton Street and Kingston Road. After 18 months of promises of a better Jericho, her recommendation was to do nothing.
By Jonny Ives
This week two primary schools in Oxford launched the county council’s School Streets pilot project, taking a big step towards the goal of safe and active travel options for all school students.
By James McNicoll
There is a flood of consultations on developments in and around Oxford right now. Plans are being drawn up for Greater Leys, Blackbird Leys, Mill Lane Old Marston, the Neilsen site by Thornhill, Oxford North, St Frideswide Farm, land to the north of Oxford city up to Parkway Station, and land to the north of Barton Park.
By Alison Hill and Robin Tucker
Earlier this year the cycling community in Oxfordshire were dismayed when Oxfordshire County Council lost half of a government grant that aimed to help keep people cycling and walking as lockdown eased.
