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.