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BBC News
30-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Local elections 2025: Oxfordshire candidates split over 20mph
Driving through Oxfordshire's towns and villages, it is clear that the default speed limit for anywhere away from major roads is no longer residential areas now have a 20mph limit - a change that some love and others rollout has been happening since 2022, and the new limit is in now in place in more than 200 ahead of local elections for Oxfordshire County Council on 1 May, residents and candidates remain split on whether the 20mph scheme has been a success or a waste of money. For places to get a 20mph speed limit in Oxfordshire, a degree of local support has to be zones need the backing of both the parish or town council and the area's county have proved uncontroversial - but in larger towns in particular there has been than three quarters of people responding to a consultation on a 20mph limit for most roads in Banbury objected or expressed a review, new 20mph zones were brought in, but four routes were the limit is in place, residents we spoke to had mixed views on whether it has been a good thing for the Andrews said he thought 20mph was "too slow"."It builds up the traffic and then stops everyone from getting where they need to be as soon as possible," he Paul Clement said the benefits were huge."The difference between 20mph and 30mph in respect of safety is phenomenal," he Morris also supported the limit - but said vehicles were not respecting said: "A lot of people down here aren't actually doing 20mph they're doing a lot more." Candidates that took part in BBC Oxford's debate ahead of Oxfordshire County Council's election on May 1 were also split over were raised about the lack of Liz Brighouse said: "It really is frustrating to see roads, which should be 20mph and people are actually going on them sometimes 60 or 70mph and that really can't be acceptable."Felix Bloomfield from Reform UK said: "This is something that Thames Valley Police cannot enforce."They've told us that their 30mph speed cameras cannot be recalibrated to deal with 20mph zones. "And they don't have capacity to police with mobile cameras." Originally £8m was budgeted for the scheme, but the authority now says it will be completed in the next financial year for a total of just over have questioned if it was all money well Eddie Reeves said in the village of Cropredy there was "a new 20mph sign literally signposted on a 90 degree bend". "Now you cannot drive more than about five or maybe max 10mph," he said. "The 20mph zone, therefore, is a complete nonsense."But the Liberal Democrats and Green Party, who have been running the authority while 20mph has been implemented, defended the Democrat Dan Levy said: "I think it's been a huge benefit to the people of Oxfordshire. "Where there are 20mph zones we've seen a reduction in accidents and an increase in people cycling and walking, particularly to school."Helena Richards from the Green Party said: "If you're a pedestrian hit by a car at 20mph you are seven times more likely to survive than if you were hit by that same car at 30mph."Polls are open for the Oxfordshire County Council election between 07:00 and 22:00 on 1 May. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
25-02-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Oxford transplant recipient has 'incredible transformation'
A tennis and squash enthusiast is set to take part in the British Transplant Games in his home city, less than three years after he received a new Lawton from Oxford underwent a liver transplant in 2022, having been diagnosed with the rare liver disease primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) 16 years before. He is now planning to compete when the Olympics-style event for athletes who have received an organ donation takes place in Oxford this summer."I've gone from this place where I couldn't walk up the stairs at home, and now I'm able to compete," he said. He was largely unaffected by PSC for more than a decade, before his condition took a turn for the worse in 2019 and he was eventually placed on the transplant waiting about his condition, Mr Lawton told BBC Oxford: "What's so bizarre about it is I had 13 years where it didn't [affect me] and I just got on with life."He recalled how we went "very rapidly" from feeling well and healthy to something "not being quite right".He was referred to the Royal Free Hospital in London, but said things actually improved, before his condition deteriorated again in 2022 and he was placed on the transplant waiting Lawton said: "There's this battle between wanting to be well, but actually knowing you're going to have to get really ill before you get so bad that you need the transplant. "Your life is on hold because you don't know how long it's going to be." After four months on the list, Mr Lawton received a transplant."I got 10 minutes with my wife and kids so we just prayed together, cried together and I said goodbye. I was very fortunate to get a new liver and be here today," he Lawton added he had an "incredible transformation" since his days after his surgery and still in intensive care, Mr Lawton signed up to join Transplant Active - the group that organises the annual British Transplant multi-sport festival, which features more than 1,000 athletes, all of whom have received organ transplants.2025's event is due to take place in Oxford from 31 July - 3 Lawton said the "amazing event" was "about promoting organ donation, and we [the competitors] are there as a testimony to 'this saves lives". You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
