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Anti-LTN protestors stop traffic in Oxford

More than 100 demonstrators held up traffic saying "we’re not messing about and we’re not going anywhere"...

100 protestors gathered at Oxford's Manzil Way and Cowley Road junction to protest against the city's low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) yesterday, halting all traffic. 

One of the protestors, nurse Georgina Gibbs told the Oxford Mail: "Because of the LTNs, it’s slowing people in getting to their appointments. There’s more congestion.

“I’ve never seen traffic like this in Oxford."

The protestors handed out leaflets to passers-by and held up posters and placards against the LTNs.

Oxford's low-traffic neighbourhoods, which are designed to, as the name implies, reduce traffic in the neighbourhoods, have been subject to a number of challenges from vandalism to opposition that has been called a "civil war"

Just earlier this month it was announced that the LTNs are to be made permanent after a vote by Oxford County Council.

The BBC also reported that the Oxford council received a petition with almost 6,000 signatures asking for the traffic-calming scheme to be ended.

Another protestor, Dr Sheikh Ramzy, said yesterday: “We need to be uniting the community. Thousands of people have been signing petitions, but we need to be getting together to unite our society.”

A spokesperson for the county council said they recognise the LTN measures have inflicted challenges to some residents and businesses, but that they remain committed to listening to residents' views on the matter. 

"When deciding to make the Cowley measures permanent, the cabinet was asked to consider a range of information including consultation feedback monitoring data, legal advice, and equality and climate impact assessments.

“In their decision, members recognised the range of views expressed and committed to undertake additional community engagement to further refine the scheme, with any changes to be made by spring 2023."

The spokesperson also highlighted that there is an ongoing consultation on East Oxford's LTNs

> LTN bollard replaced after vandalism disappears less than 24 hours later

> Vandals target LTN bollards and planters less than 24 hours after trial is introduced

Suvi joined F-At in 2022, first writing for off-road.cc. She's since joined the tech hub, and contributes to all of the sites covering tech news, features, reviews and women's cycling content. Lover of long-distance cycling, Suvi is easily convinced to join any rides and events that cover over 100km, and ideally, plenty of cake and coffee stops. 

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13 comments

Avatar
Oldfatgit | 1 year ago
9 likes

* scratches chin ...
70year old: " don't see many kids playing in the streets nowadays... Not like when we were young. They used to play tig, and football, and catch, and curbie ... Now nothing."
40year old, unlocking their car: "yeah, dunno why that is. Must all be on their X-box and PlayStation."

Avatar
Mungecrundle | 1 year ago
8 likes

I hope the LTN protestors took advantage of there being even less traffic than normal (it is after all a low traffic neighbourhood, not a no traffic neighbourhood) to enjoy a quiet coffee and cake at one of the cafe's with outside seating.

Avatar
TriTaxMan | 1 year ago
14 likes

They fail to see the utter irony in what they are doing.

They are stopping motor vehicles....the people they insist they are protesting on behalf of.... meanwhile the disruptions to cyclists and pedestrians will be minimal.  Is that not proving that there should be more LTN's?

They have to be a special kind of stupid not to notice that.

Avatar
ShutTheFrontDawes | 1 year ago
4 likes

Stop giving these pricks airtime and column inches.

Avatar
mdavidford | 1 year ago
8 likes

So traffic was at a standstill on the Cowley Road - but how would anyone have noticed any difference?

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 1 year ago
16 likes

So many people are obsessed with driving and cars that they don't even see the obvious.

LTNs don't create traffic, they just redistribute some of it, so when they suddenly realise that there's too many people driving, surely the answer is to encourage people to not drive - i.e. more LTNs is actually part of the solution.

Avatar
eburtthebike | 1 year ago
13 likes

Dr Sheikh Ramzy; an interesting character, who seems to be fairly assiduous in opposing tyranny, most of the time, but not when it's the tyranny of traffic.  He seems to be in favour of freedom and democracy, but campaigns against those things when it's about motor vehicles.  I don't doubt that he's sincere, but I'd love to know how he justifies opposing locals' freedom to walk and cycle safely in their streets when that is what they want and have democratically decided?

https://twitter.com/peaceissolution

I despair at the staggering level of car dependency, even by people who should know better.  The ability to hold two separate conflicting views is present in all of us perhaps.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to eburtthebike | 1 year ago
12 likes
eburtthebike wrote:

Dr Sheikh Ramzy; an interesting character, who seems to be fairly assiduous in opposing tyranny, most of the time, but not when it's the tyranny of traffic.  He seems to be in favour of freedom and democracy, but campaigns against those things when it's about motor vehicles.  I don't doubt that he's sincere, but I'd love to know how he justifies opposing locals' freedom to walk and cycle safely in their streets when that is what they want and have democratically decided?

https://twitter.com/peaceissolution

I despair at the staggering level of car dependency, even by people who should know better.  The ability to hold two separate conflicting views is present in all of us perhaps.

What gets me is the lack of critical thinking. If someone is opposed to a Low Traffic Neighbourhood, then maybe they should spend their time promoting High Traffic Neighbourhoods. They could go round houses and ask residents if they want their local road changed into a high speed dual carriageway to facilitate more driving as surely in their mind that would reduce pollution etc.

Avatar
Secret_squirrel replied to eburtthebike | 1 year ago
4 likes

First rule of Twitter. Never trust someone who quotes themselves in the third person. 

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IanMK replied to eburtthebike | 1 year ago
13 likes

'We need to be uniting the community'
So he thinks that because a minority sign a petition that the majority should unite behind them. How arrogant is he? Typical reactionary nonsense.
I think that communities should unite behind the truth of global warming and do everything they can to reduce their carbon footprint, but maybe that's just me.

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mad_scot_rider | 1 year ago
4 likes

I'll bet you pounds to rubles (the only currency where this works any more) that not even a handful of those sad acts actually lived there

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CyclingInGawler | 1 year ago
7 likes

Oh the irony!
 

For context on "almost 6,000" signatures, a quick internet search suggests the population of Oxford is around 160,000, so somewhat short of a majority point of view (and yes, I do realise how simplistic an analysis that is  1 ).

Avatar
IanMK replied to CyclingInGawler | 1 year ago
9 likes

....and you're assuming that the signatories actually live in Oxford.

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