Letter to Oxford Mail/Times
Dear Editor
I have to respectfully disagree with the Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet regarding the bus gates in Oxford (Oxford Mail 14 October). They claim now is the wrong time for bus gates. Now is exactly the right time for traffic reduction measures of any kind. Oxford’s roads are clogged with traffic levels greater than pre-Covid creating a dangerous situation. We need urgent action to reduce traffic, not even more prevarication.
The bus gates were backed by a majority of respondents to the council’s consultation, 50%. Only 42% were opposed. Why then did the cabinet back down? Connecting Oxford with more bus gates has already been consulted on. Connecting Oxford Plus, an expanded plan, has the backing of many Oxford residents and is the result of a lot of hard work by volunteers.
The problem will be made even worse by the tens of thousands of homes planned for Oxford’s Green Belt and nearby areas increasing car numbers and therefore traffic in Oxford. The County Council needs to promptly reduce traffic coming into Oxford, encouraging walking, cycling, bus, rail and deliveries when appropriate.
Please could the County stop dithering and finally take real action on traffic reduction.
Yours faithfully
Hazel Dawe
COWLEY AREA TRANSPORT GROUP – www.catg.org.uk