Oxford LTNs: Work to roll out a further three schemes to end

The county council said LTNs could create quieter, safer neighbourhoods

Work to install a further three controversial traffic calming schemes in Oxford is due to finish on Friday.

Three Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in the Divinity Road, St Clement's and St Mary's areas will be trialled for six months.

LTNs are popular with some residents who say they have made roads safer but others say they have made roads more congested and damaged businesses.

Oxfordshire County Council's leader approved the schemes in December.

Liz Leffman said though there would be an "inevitable" displacement of traffic across the city, positive change would come "incrementally".

Residential roads will be closed to through traffic, so motorists can drive to but not through them - to stop them from being used as short cuts.

Protesters said LTNs had divided communities, increased congestion and made travelling harder for disabled motorists

The first LTNs were introduced in Church Cowley, Temple Cowley and Florence Park in March 2021.

A final decision on whether they should be adopted permanently was due to be taken in February.

But the then cabinet member for highways, Tim Bearder, said the council's cabinet would make the decision "given the sheer volume of emails and anger expressed".

According to the council's website, it will decide whether to make those LTNs permanent or to remove them on 19 July.

The decision on whether to make the three LTNs permanent in Church Cowley, Temple Cowley and Florence Park is due in July

John Skinner, who lives in Marston Street, will be affected by the new LTNs.

"[The council] said it's a trial but there's no criteria for success," he said.

"It hasn't worked in Cowley and I don't think it's going to work here."

But Susie Logan, who lives in Blackbird Leys, said the LTNs had been positive.

"Our family is an example of the Cowley LTNs working as they're supposed to," she said.

"We've been able to move from two, two-mile car journeys a day to cycling with a six-year-old and a nine-year-old."