Will I still be able to get to and from my home in my car?

All streets will continue to be fully accessible. The difference will be that whilst currently in your car you may have a choice of several different routes to enter/leave your neighbourhood, within the LTN you will most likely only have one.

Will I still be able to receive deliveries?

Yes. All parts of the street will be fully accessible. Delivery drivers may have to plan their route more carefully since access to any one property is likely to be via only one route into the neighbourhood. Local businesses that receive deliveries or have car parks will still be able to operate as they do currently. Ensuring there are places where delivery vehicles can turn will be considered by the County Council engineers.

What about emergency services? 

All emergency services will be consulted before LTNs are introduced – if there is concern that emergency access is compromised, the scheme will not go ahead. Because all of the streets will be accessible by vehicle, emergency services will still be able to get about and may even benefit from lower traffic levels. The experience in Waltham Forest (where a set of LTNs were introduced in 2014), emergency services have not had problems with the new road layouts. 

Doesn’t this just move the problem to the main routes around the neighbourhood where people also live?

By making the local streets safer and quieter, people making short journeys are more likely to walk and cycle. Evidence from London LTNs shows that they have very little impact on overall traffic levels around the perimeter and buses on adjacent roads have kept to their original timetables. Oxfordshire County Council are actively considering future plans for our main roads through the “Connecting Oxford” proposals. These would reduce traffic on Iffley Road, Church Cowley Road, Between Towns Road, Oxford Road and Hollow Way.

What about the impact on local businesses? 

Evidence from Waltham Forest and other research shows that shops stay vibrant as more people find walking locally enjoyable and are more likely to shop locally. In fact, shopping streets in Waltham Forest have thrived with the addition of local markets bringing in new customers.

What about parents who have to drop off school children by car?

All streets will still be fully accessible, so parents who have to drive will still be able to drop children off at school by car. Hopefully people living locally will find start to find walking or cycling to school much safer and more enjoyable. In some instances, it may be more practical for parents to park further away and walk a short way. Cllr John Sanders is keen for School Streets schemes to be implemented across the division after the LTNs go in.

Oxfordshire Liveable Streets has put together some really useful FAQs, which can be found here.