Burford's lorry ban to be revoked despite residents' support

The measure was introduced for Burford in August 2020

A trial that banned lorries passing through a town centre in the Cotswolds will not be extended.

The measure to stop lorries weighing more than 7.5 tonnes driving through parts of Burford, Oxfordshire, was introduced in August 2020.

Residents wanted the measure to continue but others in nearby towns and villages said they had been adversely affected by offset traffic.

Oxfordshire County Council will look to introduce a countywide freight scheme.

Its cabinet member for travel and development strategy, Duncan Enright, revoked the experimental traffic regulation order for Burford at a meeting on Wednesday.

He said criteria set by the council at the start of the trial, to measure its success, had not been met. It will end as scheduled on 5 February.

A town councillor said the trial had a "transformative" impact on Burford

The council had said Burford's lorry traffic would need to reduce by 50% or more to record a "positive impact".

It said its data showed that had not been met but there had been "significant reductions" in the heaviest lorries using the town.

Other roads, including Bridge Street in Witney, recorded an increase in lorry traffic, which the authority said showed the trial's impact had been passed onto Burford's neighbours.

Burford town councillor John White said the trial had a "transformative" impact on the town's tourism industry.

Trade bodies, including the Road Haulage Association and Logistics UK, were opposed to the trial being continued, as were Thames Valley Police and Gloucestershire County Council.

Of 395 responses received by the county council after a consultation, 213 opposed the trial continuing or had concerns about its impact. Another 180 were supportive.