A six week consultation on low traffic neighbourhoods in East Oxford ends later today.

The low traffic neighbourhoods were first introduced in Church Cowley, Temple Cowley and Florence Parks in February 2021 and were later installed in Divinity Road, St Clement’s and St Mary’s in East Oxford.

Oxfordshire County Council installed them with the aim of reducing traffic and making neighbourhoods quieter.

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Oxford Mail: Low traffic neighbourhoods in East OxfordLow traffic neighbourhoods in East Oxford (Image: Ed Nix)

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However, the LTNs have been controversial with Cowley Road traders and have led to suggestions from some councillors that they create ‘winners and losers’.

The council’s consultation ends at 5pm today (July 20) and the proposed changes which have been put to the public include adding a traffic restriction at the St Clement’s end of Jeune Street and making the street two way south of the restriction.

Oxford Mail: Cabinet member for highway management Andrew GantCabinet member for highway management Andrew Gant (Image: Ed Nix)

County councillor and cabinet member for highways management Andrew Gant previously told the Oxford Mail: “We have encouraged people to share their views with us throughout the trial of the east Oxford LTNs.

“I’m pleased we are giving people another opportunity to offer detailed feedback.

“Vandalism has interfered with running the trial and made it harder for us to fairly assess its impact.

“Now that the wooden bollards are in place, the extra information from this consultation will supplement the survey data we gathered last year, and the extensive monitoring and evaluation data we are still building up.

“We need as much information as possible to take to cabinet when we make a decision on the trial later this year and we will consider all feedback received.”

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Mr Gant said the proposed changes addressed “common suggestions for improvement”.

There have also been debates about the impact of LTNs on air quality and pollution in Oxford.

Mr Gant has also clarified that changes would only go ahead if a decision is made to keep the LTNs in place when the cabinet makes a final decision on the trial later this year.

Other proposed changes include moving the restrictions on Bullingdon Road to the south-west to a point east of the junction with Hurst Street and changing parking arrangements near the industrial estate on Marston Street.

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A final decision on the LTNs in Oxford will be made by the cabinet in October this year and this will include reflecting on the results of the consultation.

The council previously ran a six-month consultation between May and November 2022.

The survey can be found on the council's website at:https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/east-oxford-ltns-2023.

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About the author 

To sign up to Ed's weekly Politics newsletter, click here: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/newsletters/

Ed specialises in writing political stories for the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times. 

He joined in the team in February 2023, after completing a History undergraduate degree at the University of York and studying for his NCTJ diploma in London.

Ed’s weekly politics newsletter is released every Saturday morning.