Hundreds protest over Oxford Low Traffic Neighbourhoods

Hundreds of people have attended a protest about a city's Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs).

Three LTNs, which prevent through-traffic, were introduced in Oxford in March and more had been planned.

Supporters say they make the streets quieter and safer but opponents want them removed, saying it increases congestion and affects local business.

Oxfordshire County Council said it would not implement any more LTNs without consulting residents.

Protesters at the demonstration in Manzil Way Gardens said LTNs divided communities, increased congestion and made it harder for disabled motorists to get around.

Cabinet members of the Oxfordshire Fair Deal Coalition, which took over the council in May, issued a statement saying they would hold a "non-statutory consultation so that we can listen and devise something that works for everyone".

The statement said: "We will not implement any more experimental schemes before this is complete and we have heard from people across the city, and with those beyond the city who work and travel there, about the best integrated measures to improve travel."

LTNs are areas closed to through-traffic, which allow people to drive to them but not through them, to prevent motorists using residential roads as shortcuts.

Speaking to the BBC at the protest, resident Chloe Clark said: "My petrol costs have increased. I have to go quite far out of my way to get to places. I feel cut off from my friends and my family."

Qasim Mohammed, who runs a private hire taxi business in the area, said: "These are routes that our drivers are taking on a regular basis to pick up the disabled, schoolchildren… it's destroying our business."

Oxford East Conservative Association called on the coalition to immediately scrap the LTNs.

Chairman Mark Bhagwandin said: "It cannot be right that taxpayers' money is used on lunatic schemes which damage the environment, hit struggling businesses, and risk workers' jobs."

But Tim Bearder, cabinet member for highway management, said the new administration was dedicated to tackling the "chronic" congestion in the city and cutting pollution.

"It needs to be done, we're not going to shy away from that, but we do recognise that there are legitimate concerns amongst certain aspects of the community," he added.

Earlier this month a technical glitch involving LTN data resulted in dozens of roads in Oxford incorrectly appearing as closed on satellite navigation devices.

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