The following was delivered verbally at the City Council’s Cabinet meeting on November 18th 2020 by OHSA Secretary Emily Scaysbrook
The Oxford High Street Association absolutely agrees with the primary aims of the bus gate; that is, to assist Oxford’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. However, we believe there are a number of far preferable alternatives to bus gates in achieving this: ways to positively encourage cycling that do not negatively impact those who need to make journeys for whatever reason across the city centre by car.
Irreparably damaging for local businesses: these proposals would also be damaging to already decimated footfall levels for local businesses. 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 a more circuitous route to travel into Oxford. All modes of travel into and around any city centre at a time like this should be encouraged to help support local businesses.
These proposals would have no positive impact on cycling safety, perception of safety or uptake. They would increase total emissions, increase congestion on the ring road and remaining arterial roads into the city centre, and be incredibly damaging to those who for whatever reason are not afforded exemptions: local businesses, tradesmen, rural local residents, residents with complex needs not meeting blue badge requirements and informal caregivers, amongst others. City centre access for the elderly, those with immuno-suppressing conditions requiring more care to be taken in the current climate to avoid public transport etc. would also be made much more difficult by the introduction of bus gates. Assertions that city centre transport would see any meaningful level of ‘modal shift’ rely on pre-covid data for such beliefs. It is irresponsible to make such an assumption now.
Bus services are currently running in fine time and there is negligible congestion. We also do not know when meaningful congestion levels will return! The city’s cycling infrastructure is actually poor considering how many people already cycle here, but this is what council funds should be spent on improving, not on punitive bus gates. Encourage people to cycle by making cycling more attractive, not by blocking other means of transport.
Improve the existing infrastructure first! Repaint the current cycle lanes, resurface where necessary and where possible segregate them. Extend them at least to the various Park and Rides. What has been done in recent weeks at Magdalen Bridge is an appalling example of what not to do. The cycle lanes have been widened on both sides such that two buses cannot now pass one another without both encroaching into their side’s cycle lane. These are dangerous and need to be reconsidered.
Cycling infrastructure is only as good as its weakest link, so if commuters and school runners are to be encouraged to make cycling their ‘last mile’ solution, cycling infrastructure from all Park and Rides needs to be improved, making it more similar to the brilliant route down Marston Ferry Road. I have no doubt that doing so could see increased numbers of children cycling to school, their parents gladly dropping them off, knowing they’ll be safe.
On the ‘last mile’ solution note...
● Provide far more space on trains for bikes. Make reserving bike spaces possible online too.
● Provide 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 for >24hr periods.
At the same time, fix instances of poor city planning: there are a number of cases across Oxford and the wider county of urban planning poorly designed, implemented or both that could easily be rectified to great effect. To name just a few examples: the Westgate centre lacks sufficient bicycle parking and the new Great Western Park neighbourhood has negligible cycling facilities. Surely these failures should be addressed as a matter of urgency. I have included details in this summary’s addendum. Please do read.
There are also many small improvements that could make a big difference to cycling uptake in the city centre:
● Subsidised cycling proficiency lessons for any Oxfordshire resident wanting them! Not just the NHS and students.
● Help for lower-income families and individuals to buy bikes and accessories with grants, not just loan schemes.
● Bike theft being punished more severely: help the public feel more confident investing in their cycling.
● Subsidised electric bikes for elderly and less able people: Oxford isn’t flat and hills make a difference!
● Making Exchanging Places training mandatory for all HGV drivers coming into Oxford to reduce accident rates.
● Introduction of harsher penalties for cars parking in bike lanes.
● Slowing speeds down on roads: even down to 10mph in some areas if it would make a difference.
● More bike parking! With 24,000+ students at the University alone, there is a huge need for more parking and it wouldn’t be hard to implement.
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 and other ULE 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, but still give them the option of travelling in peak times if necessary. Doctors, caregivers and so on could still be provided exemptions.
PS. Many pro-bus gates people keep mentioning the city of Ghent as a success story comparator. To those, I would say that Oxford does not have a single, consistent and coherent tram offering across the city centre. Oxford is not flat, it does not have brilliant cycling infrastructure, or a fast, broad ring road. Studies on Ghent have also been done pre-Covid. It is not a like-for-like comparison and should not be treated as such.
Addendum: poor planning across Oxfordshire to fix
● 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 the council could take up the issue with the developers, since cycle parking was a condition of permission granted?