2022 Oxford Traffic Filter (Busgate) Scandal
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The 2022 Oxford Bus gate scandal was a notable political event in the City of Oxford, UK.
History[edit]
Oxfordshire County Council proposed the introduction of bus gates on two city centre routes in 2019. The proposals were not advanced following a public backlash during the consultation process[1]. Following rejection of the 2019 proposal, Oxfordshire County Council announced on August 30, 2022[2] that an expedited consultation process would begin on 6 traffic filters affecting peripheral and central traffic routes at the beginning of September 2022.
Criticisms[edit]
The revised proposal extended the previous rejected plans to bus gates on 6 routes within Oxford to private motor vehicles, including routes outside of the city centre. Initially busses, taxis, vans and HGVs would be exempt. The initial proposals included 100 single-day permits for local residents, without guarantee that this would continue for the future of the scheme. The council cited ambitions to improve cycling infrastructure, bus travel times and local air pollution for the proposal, but has been criticised for failing to publish traffic or pollution modelling at the time of consultation[3].
The proposals have been widely criticised for inadequately catering to the needs of individuals with caring responsibilities and disabilities, and segregating less wealthy communities from wealthier communities. Opposition has noted that some of the routes had ordinarily low levels of congestion and were in non-residential areas leading opponents to brand the proposals as ideological rather than objective.
Concerned were raised from groups across the political spectrum that the proposals were likely to impede access to Oxford's hospitals for patients and cause worsening of congestion due to the closure of non-residential arterial routes, and that the negative effects of the scheme had not been properly considered or evaluated. Opposition groups campaigned noting that the routes proposed had existing high-quality cycling infrastructure and that there was no evidence that these measures would meet the objectives of the scheme.
A petition opposing two of the six bus gates achieved 1000 signatures within 24 hours.
Business groups have branded the proposals 'a catastrophe for Oxford'[4].
Concerns have noted limited ethnic and socio-economic diversity amongst councillors supporting the scheme[5], with one resident highlighting the disproportionate impact on ethnic minority communities[6].
Consultation[edit]
Oxfordshire County Council announced on August 30, 2022[7] that an expedited consultation process would begin on September 05, 2022, lasting 4 weeks.
The consultation process has been heavily criticised by residents and campaign groups for failing to adhere to the Gunning Principles[8] laid out by the Local Government Association. Criticism was levied that an expedited consultation was being carried out, at short notice, would not enable a diverse range of responses. The 4 week consultation period, instead of the recommended 12 weeks, was additionally criticised as preventing an adequate assay of public opinion.
Local campaign groups raised concerns that the council might choose to proceed with proposals despite significant opposition during the consultation, citing a previous traffic scheme which had been implemented despite a large majority of residents in opposition[9].
Moreover, groups have criticised the failure to publish traffic modelling informing the policy, limiting the ability of respondents to assess the impacts.
The council approval process has been criticised for being by vote of a single council cabinet member, Councillor Duncan Enright, without others advocating for local referenda due to concerns that the process would be undemocratic[10].
References[edit]
- ↑ "Temporary bus gates plan in Oxford set to be thrown out". BBC News.
- ↑ Oxfordshire County Council. Twitter: Bus Gate Proposals https://twitter.com/OxfordshireCC/status/1564625400185208834. Retrieved 6 September 2022. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "Consultation on trial traffic filters 2022".
- ↑ "New bus gates costing £3m will be a 'catastrophe' for Oxford says top hotelier". Oxford Mail.
- ↑ Oxfordshire County Council. Twitter: Bus Gate Proposals https://twitter.com/OxfordshireCC/status/1564625400185208834. Retrieved 6 September 2022. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ "Twitter".
- ↑ Oxfordshire County Council. Twitter: Bus Gate Proposals https://twitter.com/OxfordshireCC/status/1564625400185208834. Retrieved 6 September 2022. Missing or empty
|title=(help) - ↑ Local Government Association. "LGA Guide to Engagement" (PDF). Local Government Association. Local Government Association. Retrieved 6 September 2022.
- ↑ "East Oxford LTNs".
- ↑ https://twitter.com/DDDM2021/status/1564669960076525568. Missing or empty
|title=(help)
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