Council leader responds to concerns that Oxford traffic measures could be used in Banbury, saying ‘no such plans exist’

Following last week’s full council meeting (Monday, July 15), Cllr Kieron Mallon contacted the Banbury Guardian, expressing concerns about an amendment to a traffic measurement policy.

In a letter, the Conservative councillor for Easington wrote that if Oxfordshire County Council’s Local Transport and Connectivity Plan is implemented in Banbury, it would have a negative impact on local business.

Cllr Mallon said: “These policies have divided neighbourhoods, led to longer local journeys, banned cars in some areas, and have adversely affected small businesses, shops and restaurants, causing some to close due to a lack of passing trade and poor access.

"The thrust of the motion was to ask that Cherwell, as the council, who have a statutory duty to attract economic development, be fully consulted on any measures that could affect the traditional trading areas in Banbury. Fairly uncontroversial, you would have thought, but no.

"The Labour Group, as the official opposition, whose councillors are completely elected in Banbury alone, put forward an amendment to emasculate the motion and took out the wording “the need to protect our high streets and local economy".

"I thought the ruling Lib Dems and Green Group would rise to assert their authority and relish their role “to protect the local economy,” but no, they abstained; Labour won the amendment and “protect high streets and local economy” was deleted!”

The Local Transport and Connectivity Plan was adopted by the county council in July 2022 and aims to reduce one in four current car trips by 2030, deliver a net-zero transport network by 2040, and have zero, or as close as possible to zero, road fatalities or life-changing injuries by 2050.

To achieve these goals the county council is hoping to reduce people’s need to travel, discourage individual journeys in personal cars and make walking, cycling, public and shared transport the first choice for residents.

Cllr Mallon believes that the plan has caused businesses in Oxford to struggle and that it would have the same result for businesses within the Cherwell district if the plan were implemented.

He said: “Small businesses, I have run a few myself, need footfall, easy quick access, not so-called zero emission zones that only those rich enough to afford electric cars can access, traffic filters that cut off parts of the town leading to more miles driving around the perimeter, workplace parking levies that mean workers and business vehicles have to pay to park in their own private car park spaces, divided neighbourhoods, etc.”

In response to Cllr Mallon’s claim, the leader of Cherwell District Council and Liberal Democrat councillor for Adderbury, Bloxham and Bodicote, Cllr David Hingley, said that the council had no plans to implement these traffic measures in Banbury and was committed to protecting local businesses.

Cllr David Hingley said: “To be clear, there are no plans to introduce these sorts of traffic measures into Cherwell. My administration, which includes a wealth of business experience, is fully behind small businesses and committed to helping Banbury thrive.

"We will always insist that the county council consult with us on matters that affect our local businesses and residents, and look forward to working with councillors of all parties in supporting our communities and our local economy.”

Cllr Amanda Watkins, the recently elected leader of the Labour Group in Cherwell, said that her party agreed with Cllr Mallon’s motion that the district council should be kept informed of any traffic measures put forward by the county council but felt that the wording of the motion needed to be changed.

The councillor for Banbury Ruscote said: “The ‘Motion’ Cllr Mallon refers to was not to debate the potential impact of traffic calming measures, which, incidentally, have not been put forward by Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), but was to ask for OCC to ensure that should any measures be put forward, then Cherwell District Council (CDC) needed to be kept in the loop.

"This was something that the entire Labour Group agreed with. However, it was felt that the initial wording of the motion needed to be amended.

"The amendment merely stuck to and clarified the intended outcome of the resolution (which is for the CDC to be fully consulted at any future point).

"We felt that many issues would be discussed in response to any future consultation, and these did not all need to be individually named in this motion.

"We initially asked Cllr Reeves (leader of the Conservative Group in Cherwell) to consider this, but he refused. We therefore put forward an amendment during the full council meeting, and the amendment was carried. The Labour Group then voted to approve the amended motion, which was carried.”