Oxford 'climate lockdowns' and '15-minute city' - can anyone local explain their views on this?

[unsureatthispoint]

This news has been published in several media outlets and being talked about ATM.

Road blocks stopping most motorists from driving through Oxford city centre will divide the city into six "15 minute" neighbourhoods, a county council travel chief has said.

And he insisted the controversial plan would go ahead whether people liked it or not.

Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for travel and development strategy, explained the authority's traffic filter proposals in an interview in The Sunday Times.

He said the filters would turn Oxford into "a 15-minute city" with local services within a small walking radius.

Mr Enright said: "It is about making sure you have the community centre which has all of those essential needs, the bottle of milk, pharmacy, GP, schools which you need to have a 15-minute neighbourhood."

The aim is to reduce traffic in the city centre and make city living more pleasant, but critics say the plans will negatively affect businesses and the city centre's economy.

Here's the link

www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/23073992.traffic-filters-will-divide-city-six-15-minute-neighbourhoods-agrees-highways-councillor/

Are local people aware of this and what's their take on it?

Oh there are
seen the Arup/Leeds Uni thing which states extra green targets, including an ideal of buying three items of clothing per year?

I imagine most posters here have children - why isn't there more fightback? I don't have kids, I just hope to die before it gets too dystopian.

The luxury of having a school 15 mins away. Ds at nearest suitable is 40 miles away.

This is one of the major problems with this type of thing.

Local councillors think that everyone can cycle/walk. It won't cause them any financial hardship if they have to pay. I totally agree that, as usual ,disabled people are completely ignored. You can be unable to qualify for a blue badge but still have difficultly walking or cycling. Those who have never experienced this are quick to dismiss the reality for disabled people.

As usual those on low incomes will be the most penalised. Estates with expensive corner shops and few facilities (unlikely to have an Aldi or Lidl) while all the ever so green planet saving councillors get their Ocado deliveries and taxis into town to go to expensive restaurants.

I despair of our political classes these days. They get an idea in their heads and think that they can burnish their green credentials without actually bothering to think about how ordinary people will be affected.

Three items of clothing per year works for those rich with wardrobes full of clothes. It wouldn't even be enough items to replace socks and pants that were out. And as a family we do not buy a lot of clothes.

Of course there needs to be 'big changes'

We need changes that mean people can afford to live within walking/cycling distance of work. Whether that is making housing cheaper or paying people more, or both.

We need safe cycle paths and showers at work. We need communal bike hubs everywhere.

For journeys that are not within walking/cycling distance we need quick, affordable, reliable and frequent public transport, preferably running 24/7 or very close to it, eg less frequent overnight. We need this in and around all major cities in the country.

We need it to be a lot cheaper and easier to move house and be able to find some suitable and affordable, whether buying or renting. If someone changes job, they often won't move house due to the cost, or the inconvenience, or the lack of a suitable, affordable property near to the their new job.

We need to have reasonable access to school, childcare and other amenities near these homes and work places, so people can do the home/school/work journey in a decent amount of time.

Until we have the above, of course people are going to continue to use their cars, because the alternative is far too detrimental to their qualify of life. They would have no time and no money to do anything except go to work and would spend hours every day just travelling to and from.

No need to tell anyone that.

it's one reason I bought an entire new wardrobe c March.

A lot of stuff my father hoarded, I won't throw away. There's nice jackets and shirts I can use.

unfortunately my mother got carried away decluttering and now needs new clothes, I told her to crack on and buy because of prices...she is also slowly starting to see that I am not crazy. Well, actually, more credit is due...I think she realised around the end of last year.

Presumably those that can afford to live centrally will benefit from clean air and those that live in areas that now become more congested with traffic, well i guess their asthma matter less. I wonder where the council decision makers live.

I used to rely on buses. It is shit. Took ages to get places and lots of cold wet dark evenings at bus stops. And much of the countryside was inaccessible for a day trip.

feels "I despair of our political classes these days. They get an idea in their heads and think that they can burnish their green credentials without actually bothering to think about how ordinary people will be affected."

they DO know. Why do you think they don't?

They just don't care.

Well here in Mexico City the city government has brought in a lot of electric buses. I think good electric public transport and discouraging car use is the way to go

But all these answers saying public transport. It only exists in cities and sometimes not even then. People have to commute by car to even reach the cities. I spent the weekend in London where consecutive bus trips only cost me £1.60. You can't travel the 4 or 5 miles between villages for less than a £5 and that assumes that the busses go where you want. They don't.
I can't work in my village. We don't have any shops or businesses, so I have to use my car to get anywhere. I have a disability but not worthy of a blue badge. I can't walk the 4 miles from my village to another one to then pick up a bus that only goes part of the way. Even from the nearest Park and ride, Busses don't go where I need to go, so I would have to drive around the ring road to get to another park and ride that would be more suitable.

People will just shop even more in retail parks.

So true!

I live in Oxford and it's already a nightmare here. The council seem intent on cutting off certain parts of the city. Some supermarkets are already ceasing to deliver to certain parts. It's not fair and it's not right. The residents are having to suffer for a few people in the council who seem to want to make their mark on history.
If I could afford to move, I'd be gone already!

Someone up thread mentioned energy efficient light bulbs, I hate the fuckers, I'm almost blind, and need very bright light to see, energy efficient light bulbs get dimmer and have a dim half light for ages, fine if you don't have visual problems not fine for someone like me, or the hundreds of others with my eye condition.
It means I have to replace them, before they have 'run out'. Yes they might be energy efficient, but they are really bad for the environment in terms of manufacture and disposal, especially when I need to replace them so regularly.
Going back to the topic of this thread, this is a half thought out scheme, it won't impact many working from home and who can afford to shop online and get groceries delivered, it will disadvantage, the already disadvantaged.
What we really need to do is:
Invest in public reliable, frequent, affordable and well run public transport.
Encourage more cycle use and walking, by increasing safety.
Stop the antisocial behaviour that's currently causing massive issues in many towns and cities
Make it safe to walk/ cycle at night. All the above is doable, but expensive, and requires the motivation to carry it out, so of course it won't get done. Instead councillors are going for the easiest and cheapest target which will hammer small business owners, and those already struggling.

Would the aim be to make Oxford similar to Amsterdam in terms of transport?
I think you'd need to add very low cost or free high frequency public transport to get people on board.
I don't live in Oxford, but we've had LTNs locally which I liked as they made the roads safer for children crossing etc. But there was a lot of local opposition and they were scrapped in the end.

Here's some evidence that LTNs don't displace air pollution to other areas.

www.imperial.ac.uk/news/241731/low-traffic-neighbourhoods-reduce-pollution-surrounding-streets/#:~:text=Low%2Dtraffic%20neighbourhoods%20(LTNs),streets%2C%20new%20research%20has%20shown.

I am not aware of any other research on this subject, but if it exists do share it.

Does anyone know how local councillors are elected in Oxford?
Was there an organised and well informed campaign against LTNs at the public meetings that took place to discuss them?

Presumably because people just stop going into the City Centre?

Various towns have introduced one or more days of free public transport in the run up to Christmas instead of free parking.

Given by the reactions of some people you would think the world was going to end.

Evidence that I have seen, such as this

citychangers.org/the-case-for-car-free/

Suggests that city centres with fewer cars do better.

Do you have evidence that suggests otherwise?

@jgw1 I assume that article is referring to worldwide because it says 42% of shoppers travel by bike. That is not the case in Britain.
Keeping cars out of city centres benefits young wealthy people, I accept that. So I am sure by excluding elderly, poor and disabled people it makes it a more pleasant space for them.