Month: June 2024

Which areas voted for anti-LTN candidates and why? Oxford has had a fault line running through the City on Low Traffic Neighourhoods with the local newspaper giving many headlines, front pages and column inches to the oft-repeated inaccuracies of those opposing LTNs in Oxford. Despite this, research indicates majority support for LTNs and opposition at no more than about 29%. This article looks at why such candidates were elected. It is worth noting that Oxford’s 11 independents are in no less than 5 different groups since local elections 2024, with no lack of differences on a variety of issues. With assistance from Hazel Dawe:

See:

Oxford local elections and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cowley Area Transport Group submission to this consultation:

Submission CATG Transport Strategy SE 7 5 2024

By 2009, the Government subsidy to private driving in the UK was about £26bn. 2010/2011, the Government froze fuel duties – causing the subsidy to grow further. But, in a country with growing numbers of electric vehicles, refunding the road system is a necessity Governments cannot avoid. Steve Dawe, with help from Hazel Dawe, gives an outline of what Electronic Road Pricing might look like in Oxford – a city notorious for its traffic problems:

Electronic Road Pricing: a case study for Oxford

 

 

The story behind Oxfordshire County Council making Low Traffic Neighbourhoods permanent in Oxford. So much fuss and misleading media coverage about a very small number of LTNs in Oxford, when London has over 100 LTNs…Article by Steve Dawe with support from Hazel Dawe:

Oxfordshire supports existing Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

A peer reviewed academic journal article by Steve Dawe on the Government’s extraordinary Plan for Drivers. (World Transport Policy and Practice, May 2024, 29.1) The Plan for Driver shows a Government that seeks division between drivers and others, whilst having no awareness that drivers want quieter streets where they live, less pollution and better Climate policies – see article by using this link:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/619593021331d42c0b62a1c6/t/6658f5a0dafef7079be65beb/1717106082549/WTPP+2024-29.1+rev-+2.2+MB.pdf

 

Paul F. Daniels has written a major new book on traffic and the environment: Traffication: how cars destroy the environment and what we can do about it. This article reviews a work which challenges the dependency upon, and expanding fleets of, the car. Steve Dawe, supported by Hazel Dawe, reviews the book – a significant contribution to the debate about having, using and being dependent upon a car:

How does ‘traffication’ damage our environment?

 

Our new roads and railways are costing about 8 times the average for other countries in Europe. The very high cost of such infrastructure means other areas of infrastructure like minor roads are not not repaired; walking and cycling routes are often in a poor state; pedestrianisation is not being maintained or extended where most needed. This article, see link, makes a major challenge to the idea that national infrastructure is affordable, or that much of it is necessary investment at all. Steve Dawe writes with support from Hazel Dawe:

National infrastructure: notional benefits?

 

We have been losing Oxford to traffic for decades. Being a major employment centre means about half those who work in Oxford do not live here, adding to pressure on all modes of traffic in every rush hour-school run day. See article on this topic, written by Steve Dawe with support from Hazel Dawe:

Oxford’s mini culture war over low traffic neighbourhoods