Oxfordshire County Council plans to install what they now call ‘traffic filters’ (previously known as bus gates) on six main roads across the city in late 2022 – early 2023. They will prohibit most private vehicles (including electric vehicles) from passing through them, by fining those who do. Most traffic will be expected to divert around the ring road.

• Such roadblocks on Hythe Bridge Street and Thames Street will stop most vehicles from directly travelling between New Hinskey, or North Oxford, to Botley. Traders on the Osney Mead industrial estates, in particular, will effectively be cut off from the rest of the city.

• Summertown will be cut off by direct access from Marston due to the new roadblock on Marston Ferry Road to the north and St Clements to the South. Marston Ferry Road traffic will almost certainly be redirected via Marsh Lane, Banbury Road and Woodstock Road – potentially causing local gridlock.

• It will be impossible to travel directly between Cowley / Iffley Road and North Oxford due to a road block on St Cross Road.

• Cowley Traders, already hit by the impact of multiple new Low Traffic Neighbour schemes in Cowley and East Oxford, would also have to cope with a new roadblock on Hollow Way.

The scheme is separate from, but related to, an expanded Zero Emission Zone, which plans to charge drivers up to £10 per day for entering the Oxford City centre in non-electric vehicles. Some city centre roads will be accessible, despite the roadblocks – but will still be subject to the Zero Emission Zone charges for all non-electric vehicles.

What’s wrong with the proposal as things stand?

We believe that the installation of the proposed bus gates will increase congestion on the ring road and remaining arterial roads into the city centre, increase total emissions and be incredibly damaging to those who for whatever reason are not afforded exemptions: local businesses, tradesmen, rural Oxfordshire residents, residents with complex needs not meeting blue badge requirements and informal caregivers, amongst others. We believe the scheme is also discriminatory, allowing taxi access through these ‘traffic filters’ for those willing and able to pay their fares, but not private cars. It has been mentioned more than once that ‘essential journeys’ will still be possible, though we see no evidence of this, nor do we think it appropriate that Oxfordshire County Council decides what constitutes an ‘essential’ journey.

These filters have the potential to irreparably damage local businesses, in some cases directly leading to their permanent closure. We do not believe that they are the right solution to the issue of congestion and pollution in the city centre. However if they, or any similar proposals do go ahead, we believe that short term quantitative measures of success and failure must be included in the plans, to ensure that, should the implementation of these filters prove catastrophic to the local economy, the project design may be altered accordingly - or even abandoned. That time frame must be short enough to make sure that any temporary damage to the local economy brought about by the scheme may be reversed.

No positive impact on cycling safety, perception of safety or uptake: we believe that assertions that city centre transport would see any meaningful level of ‘modal shift’ are misplaced. We believe that it is irresponsible to assume that modal shift will happen, with no plans made for the uninstallation of the scheme if it does not.

Is there an alternative?

A congestion charge between certain hours would surely be fairer than a total ban. The council could charge all vehicles travelling in peak morning and evening hours, with a reduced (or no) charge for electric and other ULE vehicles, plus school buses and coaches, for example. This would encourage - but not force - delivery vehicles, local residents and visitors who aren’t constrained by the time of day to travel at cheaper, less congested times, but still give them the option of travelling in peak times if necessary. Doctors, caregivers and so on could still be provided exemptions.

Oxford has poor cycling infrastructure - improve this first to encourage active travel uptake! This is what council funds should be spent on improving, not on punitive bus gates. Encourage people to cycle by making cycling more attractive, not by blocking other means of transport. 

• Repaint the current cycle lanes, resurface where necessary and where possible segregate them. Extend them at least to all Park and Rides. 

• Work with the city’s universities and colleges to install more bicycle parking in front of their buildings. (For example outside of Exam Schools on the High Street.) Along the High Street there is no bicycle parking as things stand. This would encourage bicycle use, making access by bike to local shops quicker and safer. 

• Turn a number of empty retail sites into safe bicycle parking, similar to the units created on Carnaby Street in London.

Improve the ‘last mile’ solution:

• Cycling infrastructure is only as good as its weakest link, so if commuters and school runners are to be encouraged to make cycling their ‘last mile’ solution, cycling infrastructure from all Park and Rides needs to be improved, making it more similar to the brilliant route down Marston Ferry Road. We have no doubt that doing so could see increased numbers of children cycling to school, their parents gladly dropping them off at Park and Rides, knowing they’ll be safe. 

• Provide safer bike parking at Park and Rides and around town. 

• Provide secure lockers at Park and Ride sites for bikes that users intend to leave for >24hr periods. 

• Work with national rail network providers to make far more space available on trains for bikes. Encourage national rail companies to make reserving bike spaces possible online too. 

Make cycling more attractive and safer to encourage active transport across the city centre:

• Provide subsidised cycling proficiency lessons for any Oxfordshire resident wanting them! Not just the NHS and students. 

• Help lower-income families and individuals to buy bikes and accessories with grants, not just loan schemes. 

• Punish bike theft more severely: help the public feel more confident investing in their cycling. 

• Subsidise electric bikes for elderly and less able people: Oxford isn’t flat and hills make a difference! 

• Make dangerous pinch-points like Magdalen Bridge roundabout safer by encouraging local HGV companies to offer Exchanging Places training to their drivers.

• Introduce harsher penalties for cars parking in bike lanes. 

• Further reduce car speed limits on city centre roads, making cycling an even more attractive, quicker option for short trips.