Oxford's £1.2m cycle lanes scheme approved

New segregated cycle lanes are to go ahead in Oxford despite the loss of hundreds of car parking spaces.

The £1.2m project is expected to provide quicker routes across the city, with cyclists possibly reaching a "continuous speed" of 20mph (32km/h).

Almost 1,500 people responded to a consultation, with 75% supportive of the scheme.

The measures were passed by Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for highway management Tim Bearder.

During a meeting on Thursday, he said the "diversity of the arguments" from people in favour and opposed to the so-called Quickways, highlighted "the difficulty of the problem" faced by the city.

"It does bring as much protected space as we can manage, given the road network that we have, which is essentially medieval," he added.

The Quickways, which will give 1.5m (5ft) clearance or segregation from cars where possible, offer "faster, direct cycle routes in and out of the city centre with little or no diversion".

They will be rolled out in Marston Road, Cowley Road, Oxford Road, Iffley Road, Henley Road, Rose Hill and Morrell Avenue, Warneford Lane.

Mr Bearder asked council officers to add plans for St Clement's Street and Donnington Bridge Road, including stretching a 20mph zone to Weirs Lane, to the project, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

A proposal for Church Cowley Road was cut from the project.

As part of the plans, 195 parking spaces will be lost in Cowley Road and Oxford Road, along with another 135 from Morrell Avenue and Warneford Lane.

Another 132 will be removed from Iffley Road, Henley Road and Rose Hill, and a total of 94 from Donnington Bridge Road, Marston Road and St Clement's Street.

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