Latest news with #EmilyKerr
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
LTNs and cycle lanes cost Oxfordshire County Council almost £4m
A local authority has spent millions of pounds on its contentious Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN) scheme, a Freedom of Information request has 2021, Oxfordshire County Council has spent almost £4m combined on both its LTNs and its quickways cycling scheme in were first installed on six roads in east Oxford and Cowley in May 2022, and were made permanent in 2023 following an 18-month restrictions have proved controversial, with some hailing them as a "proven road safety measure", whilst others claimed they caused "misery on a daily basis". New figures obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service showed the council spent more than £3.8m on the installation and maintenance of both LTNs and quickways cycle routes in Oxford between 2021 and total includes £2.5m spent in 2022, which was the year the schemes were first the installation of the schemes was funded by central government, the council covers maintenance costs. 'Excellent value' Councillor Saj Malik, who represents Cowley on the county council, said the spending was "completely tone deaf"."We expect the county council to provide the services we pay for but then they tell us there's no money because they waste it on their pet projects like the LTNs," he said."In Cowley we're at the sharp end of these transport restrictions and they make our lives a misery on a daily basis."But Green Party councillor Emily Kerr said LTNs were a "proven road safety measure, cutting pedestrian accidents by around 85% inside and on the boundary roads"."Given the emotional and financial cost of car crashes, which can run into tens of thousands of pounds per collision, as well as the positive health impacts of the switch to walking and cycling, I think the annual cost to the council of £55,000 represents excellent value for money," she Oxfordshire County Council spokesperson added: "LTNs make residential streets healthier to live on and safer and more comfortable for walking, wheeling, and cycling." You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
BBC News
10-03-2025
- BBC News
The Plain roundabout advert plans scrapped after 200 objections
Plans to keep adverts on a roundabout have been withdrawn after a council received a record number of than 200 people have written in response to Oxford City Council's application for retrospective planning permission for five adverts at The Plain roundabout in said the adverts were distracting for motorists, in an area that is already dangerous for drivers, cyclists and local authority said it had withdrawn the application due to safety grounds, following significant opposition. The Take the ads off The Plain campaign was set up by residents in opposition to the co-ordinator and father-of-two Owen McKnight said the "distracting" adverts "must now be taken down as soon as possible"."The fact that over 200 people wrote to object demonstrates how concerned ordinary Oxford residents are about road danger," he added."There's still much more work to do to make The Plain safe and achieve Vision Zero – everyone home safe every day."Councillor Emily Kerr, who represents the St Mary's ward, called it "a very good example of a citizen-led campaign around something that is actually really important"."There was a very tragic fatality at The Plain but it's not just about that, it's a very dangerous junction," she Dr Ling Felce was killed in a crash on the roundabout in March Kerr and fellow councillor Damian Heywood previously submitted objections to the city councillors called the application in for committee decision, but the plans were withdrawn before it reached that stage.A council spokesperson said the application had been withdrawn "following significant opposition, on safety grounds"."A small amount was raised over the last year which went towards parks improvement work," the statement adverts would be for Science Fitness, Scott Fraser, 001 Cars and two for Royal about how the adverts affected the historic character of the roundabout were also raised. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X, or Instagram.
