OHSA letter to Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Dear Robert Jenrick,

Please intervene to stop the implementation of economically and environmentally damaging, discriminatory ‘bus gates’ in Oxford.

I write to you on behalf of the Oxford High Street Association, a group of businesses and colleges based on the High Street and side streets of Oxford’s historic city centre. Oxford City Council is seeking to introduce a number of ‘bus gates’ (that is, barriers prohibiting the free passage of the vast majority of vehicles) at key points around the city centre. The proposals are apparently intended to encourage cycling, yet would have no positive impact on cycling safety, perception of safety or uptake. Money is being misspent on actions that would increase total emissions, increase congestion on the ring road and remaining arterial roads into the city centre, and be incredibly damaging to local businesses, tradesmen, rural local residents, residents with complex needs and caregivers, amongst others. We are seeking your help in blocking their implementation.

The council asserts that the move would “ensure that road users can look forward to faster bus services, reduced congestion in the centre of Oxford, and more road space for cyclists travelling across the city.” This despite the fact that bus services are currently running in fine time, there is negligible congestion (and crucially no telling when any meaningful congestion levels may return, given the effect of the pandemic on working habits) and the fact that road space per se is in no way the highest priority measure when considering cycling safety and perception of safety. The city’s cycling infrastructure in the city is certainly very poor but this is what your government’s well-intended funding should be spent on improving, not on bus gates. 

Discriminatory proposals

As well as buses, taxis are exempt from the proposals and so would be able to drive with impunity through affected streets. As such, any financially able resident or visitor would be far less affected by the proposals’ implementation. The council has suggested some permits may be introduced to local residents (though no details have been provided), yet this still discriminates against rural Oxfordshire residents, especially those on lower incomes, who might just as reasonably need to get into the city centre but cannot afford to live there (or indeed choose not to for any other number of reasons). That is not fair. Perhaps even more crucially, essential journeys made by people with complex needs, caregivers, the elderly and those who have difficulty walking, those who have MS, chronic fatigue, autism, immuno-suppressing conditions requiring more care to be taken in the current climate to avoid public transport etc. without such freedom will also be made more difficult, if not impossible by the introduction of bus gates. It is wholly inappropriate for the city council to propose such damaging measures without meaningful supporting data (they have negligible amounts) or consultation (to which they finally acquiesced for less than two weeks, after outcry from the public. Minimal effort was made to ensure key stakeholders were informed and engaged.

Irreparably damaging for local businesses 

Crucially for city centre businesses, these proposals would be damaging to already decimated footfall levels. On learning of the bus gates’ implementation, many would-be visitors to Oxford might quite reasonably decide to travel to a more car-friendly city or town centre instead, rather than use public transport (whether out of covid-related concern or otherwise) or take a circuitous route via the ring road to travel into Oxford’s city centre. All modes of travel into and around any city centre at a time like this should be encouraged, to help support local businesses. And it is being done elsewhere: your university town Cambridge for example is slashing city council car park charges to £1 an hour for three months to encourage shoppers to visit the city safely by car. Oxford should be doing similarly. 

Should these nominally ‘temporary’ bus gate proposals be implemented, they are allowed 18 months to run before analysis is required. Such a period of time with such punitive measures in place would be more than enough to cause irreparable damage to city businesses, including permanent closure. 

Safe cycling should be positively encouraged by other means

There are a huge number of measures that could be implemented instead to improve and encourage cycling, thereby improving air quality and public health, without negatively impacting those who need to make journeys within and across the city centre by car: the National Infrastructure’s report ‘Running Out of Road: Investing in Cycling in Cambridge, Milton Keynes and Oxford’ provides many brilliant recommendations. As an addendum to this letter I have included in more detail examples of such suggestions.

Your authority could help overturn the proposals

We would be incredibly grateful if you could intercede with Oxford City and County Councils on the behalf of ourselves and all others likely to be affected. We have no doubt your authority would add great weight to the argument against the bus gates’ implementation and would be invaluable in effecting positive change. 

Yours sincerely, 

Emily Scaysbrook

Oxford High Street Association

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Alternative actions that would encourage cycling without negative impact

Encourage cycling uptake in the city centre

• Provide subsidised cycling proficiency lessons for any Oxfordshire resident wanting them, not just NHS workers and students, who are currently the only ones able to benefit from free lessons through the Broken Spoke bike co-op. Many London boroughs do this as you’re no doubt aware - indeed I took up the offer when I first moved to the capital, and I found it immensely useful and feel much safer on the roads as a result.

• Help lower-income families and individuals to buy bikes and necessary accessories. The bike to work (loan) scheme is great, but insufficient. Grants could be provided instead, as an additional feature of Universal Credit perhaps or similar.

• I have a lot of anecdotal evidence that some families don’t use bikes in town because they fear they’ll be stolen. Punish bike theft more severely to lessen this fear. Help the public believe that bike theft will be taken seriously.

• Perhaps you could provide subsidised electric bikes for elderly people? Headington hill isn’t something I’d want to face 50 years from now without a little help. This isn’t the Netherlands and the roads aren’t all flat, easy rides. 

• Exchanging Places training: you could work with logistics providers to make this mandatory for all HGV drivers coming into Oxford to reduce road traffic accidents. Perhaps you could even work with the university and local community initiatives to create virtual reality lessons to create something similar on smart phones for cyclists.

• Many cyclists in Oxford don’t help themselves. Change this by introducing harsher penalties for cyclists without lights. 

• Many cars don’t appreciate cyclists’ needs either. Change this by introducing harsher penalties for cars parking in bike lanes.

• Slow speeds on roads: even down to 15/20mph in areas that you are looking to improve safety, encourage cycling etc.

• It may be simple, but introduce more bike parking! With some 24,000 students at the University alone, many of whom regularly cycle, there is a huge need for more parking. There is no purpose built parking along the High Street for example. It would not be hard to implement and would be a great easy win. 

Fix poor planning

There are a number of cases in Oxford of urban planning poorly designed or implemented, detailed in the Running Out of Road Report. It notes that Oxford City Council’s core strategy, its main statement of planning policy, says it “will seek to ensure the transport impact of any new development is fully mitigated... planning permission will only be granted for development that prioritises access by walking, cycling and public transport.” Yet it does not happen in practice. This surely needs addressing:

• The Centrica office opened only in 2013, part of Oxford Business Park, has been described by council officers as “chronic” and a “case study in bad planning” with almost no provisions made for bikes or public transport. Surely this should be addressed. 

• Nearby, the redevelopment of Templars Square shopping centre in Cowley received planning permission in July this year even though it includes almost no provision for cyclists or public transport users. Could permission be retracted until provision is made?

• Outside the city, in the South Oxfordshire district, a new 3,300-home neighbourhood called Great Western Park is now under construction at Didcot. There are no facilities for cycling, beyond a few racks. Even though the development is little more than a mile from the town’s mainline railway station, it is not possible to walk or cycle directly to it. Could cycling infrastructure be introduced before construction is complete, to encourage good cycling behaviours for new residents from day one?

• In central Oxford, the new Westgate shopping centre is a textbook example of the failure of planning policy. It was opened with virtually none of the new cycle parking spaces promised by the developers (and which were a condition of planning permission.) Eight months on, cycle parking is still not what was promised, much is inconveniently located and some is actually charged for. Perhaps you could take up the issue with the developers, since cycle parking was a condition of permission granted.

Weak links in infrastructure

Cycling infrastructure is only as good as its weakest link and there are very many places in Oxford where the infrastructure is terrible. Improve the existing infrastructure, repaint the current lanes, resurface where necessary and where possible segregate them. Extend them beyond the ring road limits ideally but at least to the various Park and Rides. What has been done in recent weeks at Magdalen Bridge is an appalling example of how not to refresh infrastructure. The cycle lanes have been widened on both sides such that it is now the case that two buses cannot pass one another without both encroaching into their side’s cycle lane. A cyclist should be able to reasonably assume that cycle lanes are just that: lanes for bicycles alone. Especially with an average of some 860 bikes an hour, 14 a minute, crossing Magdalen Bridge (the county council’s figures as provided in Running out of road), I cannot see how such a situation isn’t likely to result in a terrible accident. These extended lanes need to be reconsidered.

Improving journeys where cycling provides the ‘last mile’ solution

• Provide far more space on trains for bikes. As it stands there is normally space for four bikes on the train from Paddington to Oxford for example. On the train from Marylebone to Oxford there is normally one space to lean one or two bikes, but no reservations may be made and there is no way of keeping bikes separate from one another (which one would ideally want to do for the sake of minimising contact of personal goods).

• Provide not just more bike parking, but 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 longer than 24 hours before returning. (I have yet to find an insurance company that will insure a bike for longer than 24 hours if left outside the home.)

And if congestion does return to the city centre?

A congestion charge between certain hours would surely be fairer than a total ban. You could charge all vehicles travelling 7:30-9am say, and again 5-6:30pm, with a reduced (or no) charge for electric vehicles. This would encourage delivery vehicles, local residents and visitors who aren’t constrained by the time of day to travel at cheaper, less congested times of day, but still give them the option of travelling in peak times if necessary.

Making cycling infrastructure from all Park and Rides into town far wider and more impactful - more similar to the brilliant cycle route down the Marston Ferry Road. I have no doubt that doing so could see other city centre schools enjoy increased levels of children cycling to school, their parents having dropped them off at the Park and Ride.

Honey’s of the High, High Street retailer

The implementation of ‘Temporary’ Bus Gates in Oxford will in effect cause us to hand back the keys to our landlords at Honey’s of the High (49 High Street).

We find it disheartening and selfish from the Council that without giving it a thought from a small business perspective, you are quick to impose such damaging and catastrophic measures which will result to Hiten and I having to shut shop! Our business starts incredibly early and we are there to late hours like many of our neighbours. Honey’s Newsagents may as well close if we are not able to carry out our deliveries of papers to Colleges, the Council and the many Hotel’s across the city centre. We deliver our newspapers by car as we cover a 15-mile round trip. With the bus gates we would most certainly not be able to carry out our job which is our bread and butter to put it simple terms. Does the council not want us to get the 4 hours’ sleep that we get now?!  

Our deliveries from cash and carry and when we pop to Bookers during the week will also be impossible. We have a delivery from Northampton weekly and the truck will not be able to come to the shop. How does the council think we will be able to restock?!  

We are in one of the greatest cities and all the Council is doing is stopping people coming into this beautiful city. The Westgate is a living example as to how the Covered market and all other businesses suffered. Now when we see the Westgate, we are seeing more and more empty units.  

Imposing the unnecessary bus gates will in fact mean there will be more empty units and businesses that once thrived be forced to close. We are already looking at a huge loss over the next three-four years due to Covid as no one will be able to come out of this financial crisis in the near future. Instead of working with us the Council always works against us. The ripple effect will be felt for years to come!  

In quite simple terms, we will be forced to close. I have said this before and I say the same to you, when sitting in a position where you don’t see the effects of such measures on the common person, you will never understand the actual point!  

I hope you and your colleagues at the Council think hard before rolling out the bus gates. You say ‘temporary’, but we both know it is here to stay! This implementation will have no effect on yourselves as you have a pay packet to take home each month, we on the other hand do not.  

Kinnari Patel

Owner

The Shepherd & Woodward Group

We are amazed at the City's Mr Gordon Mitchell's reported comments in the press yesterday (July 30th) in respect of implementing the creation of 2 new bus gates to further constrain access to the city centre.  

His comments are made with what appears to be a strident and total disregard for Oxford's commercial recovery, the survival of the city's businesses, the working public, and shoppers alike. 

Surely the further vehicles have to drive to be able to access the city centre can only result in a great deal more fuel burn? Plus additional time costs involved.  

More importantly it can only force more people on to public transport at a time of great danger from the virus. The most up to date reports this week say there is a surge in of Covid 19 cases in Oxford. Is it wise to enforce greater risk?  

These additional bus gates would be an additional blow to our own city centre businesses, which are already struggling, experiencing an 75% reduction in trade compared to pre Covid 19. 

We are also tenants of Oxford City Council and we understand that many of their commercial tenants are already unlikely to survive the slowdown due to the Pandemic. This further restriction and discouragement to the general public and difficulty for our suppliers can only hasten and even accelerate the demise of many already delicately balanced city centre businesses. 

Any scheme that increases the number of empty shops in the City centre should surely be a non starter in these unprecedented times. This can only cost jobs adding to the already expected flood of redundancies that will follow the cessation the UK.gov job retention scheme. 

This would also add to a loss of vibrancy and facilities in Oxford City Centre, and of course, a worsening of the already reduced City's revenue stream in terms of the loss of commercial rents and business rates. 

None of this helps in normal times, but currently it's just unbelievable that somebody in such an elevated position as Mr Mitchell can appear to be so out of touch with the City's current crisis.

We are relying on the County Council to provide some common sense please and refuse this misplaced and badly timed proposal. 

Commercial Oxford is currently struggling to survive and make ends meet. Surely further constraints, however well meant, must be avoided at this very crucial time. 

Mike Crabtree

Group Financial Controller and Company Secretary

Pens Plus, High Street retailer

I own Pens Plus on the High Street: it’s an iconic store that has served academics, students, Oxford residents, tourists and many others for over 50 years. I bought the store from the previous owners in October 2019.  I took it on knowing that the High Street had a steady decline but I had some ideas to revitalise the store, attract more customers and eventually employing 2 – 3 members of staff.  The location was one of the key factors in my decision to purchase the business.  I was also motivated to preserve what I consider to be a part of Oxford’s heritage as indeed the High street itself is. 

If the High street is the heart of the city the roads are its veins and arteries.  Block the veins and arteries and the heart dies. The High Street has already suffered some serious attacks and only the resilience, creativity and passion of the traders has ensured there is some semblance of a High Street left. I fear these bus gates will be one attack too many and the heart will finally give up.

Since purchasing the store I have often questioned my own sanity and then along came the pandemic.  Despite this I am still optimistic and confident about the medium to long term future. However, the proposed bus gates are the single largest factor that will close the doors of this iconic shop forever. The most frustrating thing about the proposal is there is absolutely no evidence or research to support the case. This is a political correctness agenda that is ignoring social and economic needs. One flimsy questionnaire with leading questions to fuel the vocal minority is not evidence borne from research. 

I have travelled into Oxford from Witney for the past 15 years and any congestion is always prior to reaching the centre, in fact it can be clearly seen that once you are past the schools particularly on the Woodstock and Banbury roads the traffic flows very well.  We all know that congestion disappears during the school holidays.  Now picture a post-pandemic world where people who used to have to work in a city centre office are given much more flexibility to work from home. The volume of traffic will naturally decline, or rather not return. This in itself will have the biggest impact and negate the need for the bus gates. Coupled with the electric car initiative (to be applauded), the environmental factor will be more than catered for.

 Since taking over, from my shop I have observed the traffic at the traffic lights on the junction of Longwall and the High Street and there is never, and I mean never, not rarely, NEVER any congestion. Very few cars come through this area already, the main traffic here is the proliferation of buses. I really do not understand why your attention is not focussed further out from the city centre where congestion is obvious to all at peak times, or rather was, even this may not be as bad in a post pandemic world.

From everything I have read there are three main reasons why the bus gates are being proposed, environmental considerations, safety for pedestrians and cyclists, trying to create an open air pavement style café and bar environment. Let’s take each of these in turn:

Environmental Considerations:  a noble cause that we would all support, except the bus gates are going to have very little impact on this as there is very little traffic in these areas even in non-pandemic times. I do not see the traffic returning to anything like it was pre-pandemic as companies start to work more flexibly from home. Also, as previously stated by the time you reach the area of the proposed gates the traffic is already flowing well due to low volume. The environmental issue is also already being dealt with by the much more impactful move to electric cars and pollution charging.  Whilst this will present a challenge to me personally it is not something I can reasonably argue against. As long as this is done in a measured way this will have much more impact on this than the bus gates. Also, I often wonder if canvassed whether the staunchest of environmentalists would vote for this, rather than other measures, if they were given the choice of bus gates and no High Street Shops, or a vibrant High Street but no bus gates. 

Safety for pedestrians: The pavements for pedestrians are very wide and accommodating already. The Covid measures that have been put in place are an indication of how poorly the council research and implement anything meaningful and I see no reason as to why the bus gates will not be the same. The Covid measures have not delivered what they were intending to. Pedestrians completely ignore the one-way system, Council Advisers that populate the streets to advise compliance merely stand in groups just chatting, not doing their job.

Safety for cyclists: There are two major factors that increase the risk of cyclists having an accident. One is buses: the volume and attitude shown by the drivers would make me think twice about cycling in the centre of Oxford… the bus gates will only increase these chances. Secondly, honestly, the cyclists themselves: many ignore the safe cycle lanes provided, CHOOSING to ride in the road; or they ride two or three abreast blocking the traffic.  At night the vast majority can bee seen to be riding without lights, therefore surely more needs to be done to encourage the less responsible cyclists to help themselves rather than introducing a draconian measure that will have no positive effect on their safety whatsoever. 

Open air street cafés and bars: This just proves that Oxford City Council has absolutely no interest in revitalising the High Street into a popular attraction full of vibrant, unusual independent shops (and cafés and bars).  People want to shop and then sit down and have a coffee or something to eat. Many will not come if there are no shops left to pique their interest, let alone the military style operation it will take to work out how to get into the city centre. Therefore, you will fail again to achieve what you set out to do.

If the council’s intention is to make Oxford City Centre a mix of museums, nice buildings to look at and hospitality outlets then just state that and we can all save ourselves a lot of time and money by packing up and going elsewhere NOW.  Places like Witney and Woodstock already benefit because of the measures Oxford City Council have introduced over the years. People from the Cotswolds particularly choosing to visit these for shopping, eating and drinking rather than Oxford. This is due to the easily accessed mix of 30 minute, one hour and three hour free parking within a stroll’s distance of the main shopping thoroughfare.

Finally, just to be clear, all the things Phillip Scaysbrook has said about the need to have transport at our premises also applies to my business.  As do his comments regarding the prospect of redundancies and cancelling of plans to increase my number of staff. I really do not see how anyone can think that the High Street will survive such an implementation. With this and the proposed barriers being re-implemented in Oriel Square I really don’t know how you expect us to run our businesses. My shop will become an island fortress built to repel intruders rather than the welcoming, easy going attraction we are striving to achieve. Alas, I don’t think you or your colleagues will care about this anyway, however, I cling to a desperate hope that you wish to preserve Oxford’s heritage of which the High Street is a key part. 

I am not an expert in the ways of the council but in my view there is a need for some form of public debate where whichever members of the public are calling for these gates can put their evidence and argument and also hear the arguments of the business owners and other Oxford residents who value having a vibrant and eclectic High Street. My customers come from Cowley, Littlemore, North Oxford and other suburbs and they all complain already about how hard it is to get here. How many of these know about the bus gate proposal? I have no doubt very few, if any.

Paul Major

Owner

Babylon, High Street retailer

I do believe the buses are a major problem for Oxford and no doubt put an awful lot of visitors off Oxford as a city to visit. I only moved to Oxford 3 years ago and while there were many things that attracted me to the city, buses certainly weren't one of them. I would think that the idea of bus gates should be, just that - a place where buses do not go beyond, thereby keeping the city cleaner, without the noise and pollution they bring.

We have a shop on the High street opposite Queens College with a major bus stop outside and although most of the buses boast to being electric, when you look closer they are in fact only hybrid and thereby still puffing out plenty of diesel fumes as is evident by the thick, black dust we are constantly wiping off the ledges of our shopfront. We've moved from Guildford (and still have a shop there), where they have just taken delivery of electric buses for their park and ride, so why in Oxford do we have to put up with these now outdated hybrids? Anyway, that's another argument. My point is that there are way too many buses in the city centre as it is and I feel the city would feel a safer place to walk or cycle if the buses could be prevented from being in the city centre beyond certain points. This in turn would make the city a more attractive destination to all visitors.

As an infrequent visitor to the city since childhood, my lasting impressions of the city were one of many dirty, polluting buses, making it feel like a little London to me. Other similar sized cities that attract large numbers of tourists, such as Cambridge and York seem to have managed to successfully keep buses out of the city centres, so why is Oxford so determined to give them such privileged treatment? It actually shocked me to see that when Westgate re-opened that Queen St. which appeared to me at first glance to be pedestrianized, suddenly had buses weaving their way through the crowds of shoppers on the street (all be it at very slow speeds). Why?? It's totally unnecessary.

I come to the point of what you're proposing to do with these so called bus gates. Long Wall St/Parks Road serves as an essential artery holding the city together for the car driver (as does Beaumont St/St. Giles). I would say that the road is rarely congested and fail to see what benefits it would bring the city to put bus gates in place. We surely need to keep the various parts of the city connected for cars still, but by all means pedestrianize various roads in the city centre such as Broad Street, St. Michaels, Queen St., part of St. Algates, part of High St and other smaller central streets that would hopefully benefit from pedestrianization (and by pedestrianization I include buses and taxis as otherwise it simply isn't pedestrianized). If you do as you propose it will surely only mean extra congestion on the ring road and Botley Road at best. At worst, it will mean less people will be attracted into our fantastic, historic city centre, which would be a huge shame and have detrimental effects on many businesses in the city. As businesses are trying to deal with the reality of the pandemic, it has become more apparent than ever, how important it is to attract locals to our city centre, not just foreign and UK tourists (as great as it is to have these as well). Unfortunately, my feeling is that too many locals around Oxford i.e. Kidlington, Yarnton, Woodstock etc. prefer not to go into the city for shopping or eating out, as it's simply too much hassle and they're more likely to go elsewhere (i.e. Witney where they can enjoy free parking). Although bus services are excellent from these areas, it doesn't attract enough people in for leisure - I for example am happy to take the bus into work, but I certainly wouldn't if I were going out for lunch or to shop. Make it more difficult for me, and I'm more likely to join others in going to Witney where I'll feel more welcome in my car.

Finally, it also concerns me to hear that you're using Government funds meant for improving cycle lanes and walkways for your proposals and using this as an excuse to fast track it without proper public consultation. Please think again, as the cities' cycle lanes certainly do need upgrading when you consider the amount of cyclists on our roads and how many more could be attracted to cycling if there were more safe cycle lanes that you don't have to share with buses.

Mike Allen

Owner

Hoyle's of Oxford (Phillip Scaysbrook), High Street retailer

If your 'temporary' proposals on bus gates go ahead. I will no longer be able to bring my car in to work to park in my private space behind the shop. So what, you may say, use the park and ride service.

If I do that, the following will happen, not might, but will follow as sure as night follows day.

It will take me an hour and a half door to door to get into my business, as opposed to thirty five minutes as now. So that puts another hour and 50 minutes on to my already long nine and a half hour day.

I will lose yet more footfall on top of an already 70% drop due to Covid: customers who currently visit my shop and park in Merton Street or Longwall simply won’t bother. I wouldn’t. Now is not the time to stop would-be visitors who are fearful of or advised against taking public transport and without means to pay for a taxi from coming into the city centre. You are punishing lower-income visitors, vulnerable visitors and fearful visitors. Cambridge are introducing £1/hour council parking to encourage visitors. Why are you not doing this?

Without paying for a taxi - something I fail to understand why I should be obliged to do, and at any rate cannot afford to do at this time…

• I will no longer be able to bring in the necessary kit and equipment needed to clean and sterilise my shop premises.

• I will no longer be able to visit my accountant, my solicitor, or local Oxford suppliers during the day.

• I will no longer be able to offer free delivery for orders placed with us by people in Oxford and surrounding areas, including NHS staff, who also benefit with a discount on our goods. Currently we hand-deliver these packages on our way home.

• Our charitable giving to Kindness Wave - distributing free or heavily discounted games and puzzles to Oxford's disadvantaged children - will cease, as the packages will be too heavy to take on foot and no one will be able to collect them.

• I will no longer be able to bring in tools and equipment to maintain the fabric of my shop in accordance with the terms of my lease.

• I will no longer be able to attend charity based fairs and tournaments in the City centre, which raise so much money for various charities.

We know that the current number of shop front businesses on the High Street and connected side streets, including colleges and hotels, stands at around 130, which is almost 15% down on the position, five years ago. If it wasn't for the proliferation of dubious souvenir shops, it would be under 115. My guess is that these bus gate proposals would result in another twenty at least ceasing trading, where small business men take advantage of 'hand back' clauses in their leases or simply walk away.

Scenario: Council meeting. Oxford 2023.

"So Mr Mitchell, our rates revenue from High Street commercial properties is down by £10,000,000. Footfall along the High Street is down 30%. We haven't got the men in Parks Dept to keep a check on the weeds growing along the pavements. The 'lease for sale' boards on empty premises are an eyesore. There are no independent shops left to tempt tourists back into the centre, apart from the souvenir shops, currently under investigation by The Times for money laundering, and they haven't paid any rates for ten years anyway." What do you suggest we say to the councillors of this fair city?"

" Well, the air is cleaner, though I feel I must warn you that we are thinking of banning buses and taxis because of the micro pollutants they put out from their brakes and tyres."

"Excellent, next item on the agenda?"

"Performance bonuses for senior council executives"

Think long and hard.

Phillip Scaysbrook

Owner

‘The Oxford Collection’ (Old Bank & Old Parsonage Hotels, Quod, Gees, Parsonage Grill)

There is a great deal of alarm in the city concerning the arbitrary installation of the proposed ‘bus gate’ traffic controls.

The understanding is that the government has provided funding for local authorities to put in place fast track measures to counter the effects of the pandemic. Examples could be cycle lanes, pavement widening etc. Measures that would not  require consultation and measures supposed to enhance the town or city concerned.

I and many others are absolutely sure the remit does not include measures that are going to damage the economic viability of the city or town concerned and at the very least require detailed public consultation.

The strategic positioning of all these ‘bus gates’, albeit under the caveat of being experimental and temporary, will dramatically and adversely affect the economic well being and viability of the centre of Oxford and all those who exist and trade in it. Businesses, offices, shops, colleges and other educational institutions.

In my opinion and the opinion of many, many others, if the installation of these bus gates goes ahead without proper debate within the city, it will be looked upon as a gross act of self harm with far reaching consequences. It is not acceptable to label this move as temporary because it’s incredibly difficult to reverse these things and once installed, the damage will be done.

The City Council must not  ‘experiment’ or tinker with measures that are guaranteed to adversely affect people’s livelihood, especially within the context of the current economic devastation caused by Covid, whatever pressure certain vested individuals or groups within the Council exert.

Jeremy Mogford

Owner