Latest news with #ClintonPugh
Scottish Sun
21 hours ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
World-famous UK city wants to introduce £5 congestion charge on EVERY car in ‘concerning' move
The move comes amid claims that councillors are trying to turn it into a 'cycle-only city' TAKING ITS TOLL World-famous UK city wants to introduce £5 congestion charge on EVERY car in 'concerning' move Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A WORLD-famous UK city is planning to introduce a congestion charge in a move that has led to a civil war between local authorities. Oxford is famous for its gothic spires and picturesque bridges, which attract sightseers from around the world. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Signage marking the boundary of the Congestion Charge zone in London But new plans are now underway to force drivers to pay £5 to access some areas of Oxford's historic city centre. The congestion charge, proposed by Oxfordshire County Council, would be the first new levy of its kind introduced in a British city in two decades. However, the other local authority in the region, Oxford City Council, slammed the scheme as elitist. They say there has been "no engagement" on the proposals and that the congestion charge "only allows people who can afford to do so to buy access to our streets." Speaking to The Telegraph, Susan Brown, the leader of the city council, said: 'There has been no engagement with businesses, residents or the city council until today – yet again the city is being done to rather than engaged with in preparing transport proposals. 'We are concerned that this scheme allows people who can afford to do so to buy access to our streets. Those who can't will struggle.' Oxfordshire County Council called comments from the city authority "disappointing". Campaigner Clinton Pugh, the father of Hollywood starlet Florence Pugh, told The Telegraph that the proposed scheme risked turning Oxford into a Singapore-like location in which only the wealthy could afford to drive in the city. The former restauranteur also claimed that the County Council were trying to turn Oxford into a 'cycle-only city' which would have a destructive impact on local businesses in the area. He added: 'You have got no one in the council who has any business experience and understands the impact of doing this.' In a statement, Oxfordshire County Council said: "Proposed options to manage congestion in and around Oxford will be discussed by Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet on 17 June. "Options will include a temporary congestion charge for the city. "The council has committed to addressing congestion in the short-term, after its plan to implement six trial traffic filters was postponed due to the ongoing closure of Botley Road, now expected to reopen in August 2026. Shocking moment cyclist tears through traffic with child clinging to back - before riding WRONG way through roundabout "The council's cabinet will be asked to approve the start of a public consultation on a temporary congestion charge. "The scheme would improve bus services and make it easier for those with permits, including carers, traders and blue badge holders, to travel by car into and around the city. "If approved, a public consultation would start on 23 June, with a view to implementing the temporary scheme in autumn this year." Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport Management, told The Express: 'We urgently need to see improvements to travel around the city; better bus services and less traffic overall, to help people get around. 'We must take action for our residents, businesses and visitors while Oxford's Botley Road remains closed and I look forward to discussing the options with cabinet colleagues.'
The Sun
21 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
World-famous UK city wants to introduce £5 congestion charge on EVERY car in ‘concerning' move
A WORLD-famous UK city is planning to introduce a congestion charge in a move that has led to a civil war between local authorities. Oxford is famous for its gothic spires and picturesque bridges, which attract sightseers from around the world. 1 But new plans are now underway to force drivers to pay £5 to access some areas of Oxford's historic city centre. The congestion charge, proposed by Oxfordshire County Council, would be the first new levy of its kind introduced in a British city in two decades. However, the other local authority in the region, Oxford City Council, slammed the scheme as elitist. They say there has been "no engagement" on the proposals and that the congestion charge"only allows people who can afford to do so to buy access to our streets." Speaking to The Telegraph, Susan Brown, the leader of the city council, said: 'There has been no engagement with businesses, residents or the city council until today – yet again the city is being done to rather than engaged with in preparing transport proposals. 'We are concerned that this scheme allows people who can afford to do so to buy access to our streets. Those who can't will struggle.' Oxfordshire County Council called comments from the city authority "disappointing". Campaigner Clinton Pugh, the father of Hollywood starlet Florence Pugh, told The Telegraph that the proposed scheme risked turning Oxford into a Singapore-like location in which only the wealthy could afford to drive in the city. The former restauranteur also claimed that the County Council were trying to turn Oxford into a 'cycle-only city' which would have a destructive impact on local businesses in the area. He added: 'You have got no one in the council who has any business experience and understands the impact of doing this.' In a statement, Oxfordshire County Council said: "Proposed options to manage congestion in and around Oxford will be discussed by Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet on 17 June. "Options will include a temporary congestion charge for the city. "The council has committed to addressing congestion in the short-term, after its plan to implement six trial traffic filters was postponed due to the ongoing closure of Botley Road, now expected to reopen in August 2026. "The council's cabinet will be asked to approve the start of a public consultation on a temporary congestion charge. "The scheme would improve bus services and make it easier for those with permits, including carers, traders and blue badge holders, to travel by car into and around the city. "If approved, a public consultation would start on 23 June, with a view to implementing the temporary scheme in autumn this year." Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport Management, told The Express: 'We urgently need to see improvements to travel around the city; better bus services and less traffic overall, to help people get around. 'We must take action for our residents, businesses and visitors while Oxford's Botley Road remains closed and I look forward to discussing the options with cabinet colleagues.'
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
War on motorists continues: Now Oxford council want to impose £5 congestion charge on every car entering the city
Oxford could become the first city in more than two decades to impose a congestion charge - in the council's latest move in the 'war on motorists'. Under the proposed 'temporary' scheme, motorists would be slapped with a £5 fee every time they travel into the city centre. Locals have warned that the plans would cripple businesses in Oxford, which have already been hit by a controversial low traffic neighbourhood scheme in the city. If enforced, Oxford would be just the third city in the UK to introduce a congestion charge - after London and Durham in the early 2000s. The plans were proposed by Oxfordshire County Council on Monday and could be introduced as early as this autumn. The scheme would be enforced using automatic number plate recognition - with charging cameras placed on six major roads that lead into the city centre. Oxford residents with a permit would be exempt from the £5 charge but anyone travelling into the city for work, tourism or shopping would have to pay. Florence Pugh's father, Clinton Pugh, who has previously spoken out against traffic measures in Oxford, has warned the latest scheme would increase the divide between rich and the poor. The former restaurateur and campaigner told The Telegraph: 'It will be like Singapore, where the rich and wealthy can afford to drive through the city and everyone who is poor will have to struggle through by other means. 'They want to make it a cycle-only city and it's going to badly affect businesses.' 'You have got no one in the council who has any business experience and understands the impact of doing this,' he added. The 66-year-old, who ran several businesses on Cowley road, previously said that LTNs, first introduced in the city in 2021, had left him facing losses of up to £1million. Mr Pugh claimed eco-measures were the 'final nail in the coffin' for his restaurants and left him with no choice but to sell up. He sold Café Coco, where Florence used to work as a teenager, last year - and last month announced he had also sold his last remaining business in Oxford - Kazbar. Mr Pugh told the Oxford Mail at the time: 'I sold the Kazbar on the day Donald Trump announced his tariffs, and I was so relieved to get out of it. 'It would be bad enough just to have what's happened with the Bank of England and the pressures of inflation. '[Then] you throw in the restrictions on the Cowley Road. The LTNs were the main nail in the coffin.' Oxford, which has a historic centre made up of a number of narrow medieval streets, has previously been named one of the most congested cities in the UK. The local authority has said the congestion charge would ease traffic and help improve bus services in the area. It is the latest in a number of controversial measures that have been proposed in Oxford - including bus gates, LTNs and parking restrictions. Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for transport management, said: 'We urgently need to see improvements to travel around the city; better bus services and less traffic overall, to help people get around. 'We must take action for our residents, businesses and visitors while Botley Road remains closed and I look forward to discussing the options with cabinet colleagues.' The plans for the congestion charge are due to be discussed by Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet on 17 June. A public consultation will then start on June 23.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Business owner sells last restaurant, blaming LTNs
A business owner said he has sold his last business after facing losses of about £1m over the past three years due to the impact of traffic filters. Clinton Pugh, father of Hollywood actress Florence Pugh, has owned a number of cafes and restaurants in Oxford, including The Lemon Tree and Café Coco. He said he decided to sell his remaining business, Kazbar on Cowley Road, earlier this year due to financial pressures, saying the introduction of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) was the "main nail in the coffin". Oxfordshire County Council said LTNs and traffic filters were designed to make residential streets better for walkers and cyclists, and their impact would be "carefully monitored". Mr Pugh, who first opened a business in the city 40 years ago, said the sale of Kazbar marked "the end of an era". He said wider economic factors had impacted trade but described the LTNs as the "main nail in the coffin". "Kazbar's turnover has dropped significantly over the last three years since the LTNs have gone in. So had Café Coco," he said. "I've lost about £1m, if not more." Mr Pugh said the traffic measures had also made it more difficult to attract staff. "If they don't live locally then they don't want to pay for taxis to come in," he said. A council spokesperson said the measures were designed to reduce traffic, speed up bus travel and make walking and cycling safer. "When the traffic filters trial starts after Network Rail reopens Botley Road, expected to be August 2026, it will be a new way to reduce traffic and make it easier to get around the city," they said. The filters will only apply to cars, all other vehicles will be automatically exempt, said the spokesperson, adding there were "17 types of free permit for car drivers to travel through the filters". They said the trial will be carefully monitored and evaluated, including an analysis of footfall and spending data in the city centre, as well as Cowley Road, Cowley centre, Headington, Jericho and Summertown. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Owner blames traffic filters for restaurant sale Oxfordshire County Council
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Oxford business owner blames LTNs for sale of last restaurant
A business owner said he has sold his last business after facing losses of about £1m over the past three years due to the impact of traffic Pugh, father of Hollywood actress Florence Pugh, has owned a number of cafes and restaurants in Oxford, including The Lemon Tree and Café said he decided to sell his remaining business, Kazbar on Cowley Road, earlier this year due to financial pressures, saying the introduction of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) was the "main nail in the coffin".Oxfordshire County Council said LTNs and traffic filters were designed to make residential streets better for walkers and cyclists, and their impact would be "carefully monitored". Mr Pugh, who first opened a business in the city 40 years ago, said the sale of Kazbar marked "the end of an era".He said wider economic factors had impacted trade but described the LTNs as the "main nail in the coffin"."Kazbar's turnover has dropped significantly over the last three years since the LTNs have gone in. So had Café Coco," he said. "I've lost about £1m, if not more."Mr Pugh said the traffic measures had also made it more difficult to attract staff."If they don't live locally then they don't want to pay for taxis to come in," he said. A council spokesperson said the measures were designed to reduce traffic, speed up bus travel and make walking and cycling safer."When the traffic filters trial starts after Network Rail reopens Botley Road, expected to be August 2026, it will be a new way to reduce traffic and make it easier to get around the city," they filters will only apply to cars, all other vehicles will be automatically exempt, said the spokesperson, adding there were "17 types of free permit for car drivers to travel through the filters".They said the trial will be carefully monitored and evaluated, including an analysis of footfall and spending data in the city centre, as well as Cowley Road, Cowley centre, Headington, Jericho and Summertown. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
