Update October 2022 - Unworkable & unacceptable Bus Gates proposals are back this time rebadged as 'Traffic Filters'
- Oxfordshire County Council has announced plans to install ANPR bus gate ‘traffic filters’ on key arterial roads across Oxford (see map above) in 2023 with resident’s cars ONLY allowed 100 day passes per year.
- These unworkable plans are essentially road closures. Along with LTNs, they will cut off, divide & segregate our city. It will force residents who have used up their year’s 100 day passes to make long diversions in & out of the already heavily congested A34/A40 bypass & ring road to travel between the segregated ‘zones’ - meaning more congestion, pollution & misery.
- Car drivers in Botley and New Hinksey will have limited access to other parts of Oxford, while city centre drivers may find it hard to leave their homes. Residents in Summertown, Marston, Headington and Cowley are likely to suffer from new congestion, caused by displaced traffic, as drivers seek to avoid the bus gates.
- This scheme will be damaging to businesses & jobs. Out of-town-workers, customers and tourists may not be allowed to drive through the barriers - making the whole city unattractive. Why bother to visit or work in a city that does not welcome drivers?
FILL IN THE COUNTY COUNCIL CONSULTATION Respond to the Oxfordshire County Council Traffic Filters 2022 consultation by 13rd Oct: it only takes a few minutes. Please ask everyone affected by this plan to do the same, individually. The consultation DOES NOT allow you to oppose this plan outright. Please repeatedly state your opposition to the traffic filters in the comments: https://letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/traffic-filters-2022
Update from the Reconnecting Oxford team on the Oxford Bus Gates decision – 14th Oct 2020
Dear all, If you have already not heard the good news, the Oxfordshire County Council have made the unanimous decision to not proceed with the damaging Oxford Bus Gate proposals at the Council Cabinet meeting.
Here is a tweet from Councillor Liam Walker, one of the Cabinet Councillors who made the right decision: https://twitter.com/_Liam_Walker_/status/1316035319846838273
And the good news was also reported on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-54526775
We’re delighted that the Councillors have listened to the legitimate concerns of thousands of residents, workers, visitors and businesses of our great City, and made the right decision to scrap the Bus Gates. In the Cabinet meeting, a number of resident groups, including Reconnecting Oxford, and Business groups made eloquent and impassioned presentations, explaining how damaging the Bus Gates would be to Oxford residents, congestion and businesses. Cabinet members also mentioned that they had received many emails from residents with concerns about the plans.
Thank you to the hundreds of people who we met in the city and enthusiastically supported our campaign.
Dear all, If you have already not heard the good news, the Oxfordshire County Council have made the unanimous decision to not proceed with the damaging Oxford Bus Gate proposals at the Council Cabinet meeting.
Here is a tweet from Councillor Liam Walker, one of the Cabinet Councillors who made the right decision: https://twitter.com/_Liam_Walker_/status/1316035319846838273
And the good news was also reported on the BBC: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-oxfordshire-54526775
We’re delighted that the Councillors have listened to the legitimate concerns of thousands of residents, workers, visitors and businesses of our great City, and made the right decision to scrap the Bus Gates. In the Cabinet meeting, a number of resident groups, including Reconnecting Oxford, and Business groups made eloquent and impassioned presentations, explaining how damaging the Bus Gates would be to Oxford residents, congestion and businesses. Cabinet members also mentioned that they had received many emails from residents with concerns about the plans.
Thank you to the hundreds of people who we met in the city and enthusiastically supported our campaign.
Our Successful Consultation Campaign to halt the Bus Gates in August 2020:
Oxfordshire County Council is now undertaking a rapid consultation on its plans to introduce two – and possibly three – bus gates by September this year. If you, or anyone you know, will be badly hit by the proposals, it is vital that you have your say.
The Council needs to understand the impact the bus gates would have on residents, workers, businesses and visitors – everyone who is vital the success of our connected city.
The Council needs to understand the impact the bus gates would have on residents, workers, businesses and visitors – everyone who is vital the success of our connected city.
FILL IN THE CONSULTATION - BEFORE 9th AUGUST
Update 10th August: The consultation survey has now ended, thank you to the hundreds of people who we met in the city and enthusiastically supported our campaign.
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What are the risks?
Join our campaign for a better solution to the transport and traffic challenges facing our city. Together, we can build a better future for the whole of Oxford. Our campaign to stop the bus gates is supported by a large number of local business leaders including ROX, Oxford High Street Association and Jericho Traders Association, who all warn the bus gates will greatly damage the economic recovery of Oxford.
- Splitting up our city: This proposal will artificially divide our fantastic Oxford community. Roads that have been free and open for over a century will effectively be closed to traffic in a matter of weeks.
- Bad for the environment: The planned bus gates risk shifting traffic onto the already congested outer Oxford suburbs and ring road. This will result in longer journeys, more queues on the bypass, and more emissions.
- Bad for residents: Thousands of Oxford residents, who legitimately use their cars for professional and personal reasons, will face greater travelling times.
- Bad for business: These measures risk putting off car drivers from ever visiting Oxford – at a time when local businesses are desperate for footfall.
Join our campaign for a better solution to the transport and traffic challenges facing our city. Together, we can build a better future for the whole of Oxford. Our campaign to stop the bus gates is supported by a large number of local business leaders including ROX, Oxford High Street Association and Jericho Traders Association, who all warn the bus gates will greatly damage the economic recovery of Oxford.