Council's traffic boss tells Oxford LTN critics to 'keep an eye on the prize'

The last infrastructure, including planters and removable bollards, for the most recently introduced LTNs in East Oxford was completed on 20 May

People angered by new traffic-calming schemes should "keep an eye on the prize" despite complaints of major disruption, the county councillor in charge of the project has said.

Three Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in Oxford's Divinity Road, St Clement's and St Mary's areas started on 20 May.

Andrew Gant said Oxfordshire County Council hoped the schemes would help create a "safer, healthier" city.

They will be trialled for at least six months.

The LTNs have angered some residents in the city - but they do have supporters too

LTNs are popular with some who say they have made roads safer and quieter but others complain they have pushed traffic elsewhere and damaged businesses.

"Our city is often congested," Mr Gant, the county council's cabinet member for highways management, said.

"There are incidents that can snarl the whole thing up on any given day, we know that. So we've got to be analytical, we've got to try to be scientific, we've got to give it time.

"I would urge people to have a bit of forbearance and try to keep an eye on the prize."

Businessman Chris Jones said the measures appeared to be "quite draconian"

As part of the LTN schemes, residential roads are closed to through traffic so motorists can drive to but not through them, so they cannot be used as short cuts.

Recently-installed bollards and planters in roads were vandalised last weekend.

Chris Jones, operational manager for Magdalen Road-based events company Boys and Girls Promotions, said staff had arrived an hour late for a wedding because of the LTNs.

He said the schemes were "quite draconian", while Oxford city councillor Shaista Aziz said it took her mother three hours to travel by bus from East Oxford to the city centre.

But Chris Benton, the founder of bike courier firm Pedal and Post, said LTNs had made his staff "much safer", made their jobs "much quicker" and added the company was "growing quite rapidly".

A decision on whether to scrap or make permanent other LTNs introduced in Church Cowley, Temple Cowley and Florence Park in March 2021 will be taken by Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet in July.

Chris Benton, who runs the bike courier business, said his staff are now safer after LTNs were introduced