A DECISION on controversial plans to introduce six ‘traffic filters’ in Oxford to reduce pollution and promote public transport is set to be made tomorrow.
Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, says that the measures are “designed to reduce traffic, make bus journeys faster and make walking and cycling safer.”
When traffic filters are operating, private cars are not allowed through certain areas of the city without a permit, while all other vehicles – including buses, coaches, taxis, vans, mopeds and HGVs – have access at all times.
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Councillors will make a decision on introducing the filters as a trial in six locations around the city during an extraordinary cabinet meeting tomorrow.
If approved by the county council’s cabinet, the filters will be installed under an Experimental Traffic Regulation Order, as the authority said it would be difficult to assess the impact of the scheme beforehand.
The order allows councils to assess and test a scheme over time before making a long term decision about whether to stop or extend the experimental measures or make them permanent.
A total of 5,700 people completed a survey as part of a public consultation on the plans.
A report which summed up the responses ahead of today’s meeting said: “There is a lot of concern about the negative impact the proposals will have on business because of making it difficult for staff, customers and deliveries to reach them.
“Many are worried that shops and businesses will close because of this. Some respondents do not think that congestion is bad enough to justify the changes that people will have to make to how they travel.
“Others think that the filters will worsen the congestion created by low traffic neighbourhoods. Businesses are concerned that the traffic filters will displace congestion and pollution onto other areas and routes.
“The filters will add time and cost to journeys that people need to make for business purposes. Some businesses do not think these proposals are needed but other interventions should be considered.”
Thames Valley Police also raised concerns about enforcement of the filters.
It said: “Adequate clear and understandable advanced signage will be needed to avoid confusion and to ensure safe U turning near the filter points. TVP queries whether there will be extra traffic on the ring road which could cause delays in emergency response times.”
South Central Ambulance Service was ‘broadly supportive of the proposals’ with management of filter points by cameras.
Oxford University also said it supported the filters but expressed concern that public transport “remains unaffordable for its lowest paid workers and unattractive and unreliable for their staff” and that trial will need to demonstrate that the filters will “result in an affordable, attractive and reliable bus network.”
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The filters would be located on St Cross Road, Thames Street, St Clements and Hythe Bridge Street and would operate seven days a week from 7am to 7pm.
Two more filters would also be located on Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way and would operate from Monday to Saturday.
The scheme would be enforced using automatic number plate recognition cameras and any driver of a vehicle that goes through the traffic filter and is not exempt or using a permit, would be charged a penalty of £70, reducing to £35 for prompt payment.
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This story was written by Anna Colivicchi, she joined the team this year and covers health stories for the Oxfordshire papers.
Get in touch with her by emailing: Anna.colivicchi@newsquest.co.uk
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