Bus ban is a step too far for pedestrians

19 November 2008

Oxfordshire County Council’s plans to improve Oxford’s historic centre for those travelling on foot by closing streets to buses have met with criticism from Oxford Pedestrians’ Association.

Oxfordshire launched its ‘radical’ measures last month, which follow the closure of the major north-south route of Cornmarket with further action designed to ‘reduce the number of buses’ in the city’s narrow, medieval streets.

Buses would be reduced on the major east-west route of Queen Street next year by diverting some services – a prelude to pedestrianising it by 2013.

In the meantime, George Street, Magdalen Street and Broad Street would be pedestrianised in 2010, and Frideswide Square overhauled in 2011, removing all traffic signals and creating ‘a stunning public space’.

The busy High Street and St Aldgate would be improved by 2013.

Cllr Keith Mitchell, leader of the county council, said the ‘bold vision’ was required to allow the city ‘to retain its competitive edge’.

But the authority still had to gain agreement with bus companies on exactly where bus services and bus stops could be moved to. The Oxford Bus Company said the solutions needed ‘to safeguard the economic success of Oxford’s city centre’. More than 50% of people travel to the city centre by bus.

The county council acknowledged that cross-city journeys could be made more difficult, but accessibility would be maintained by limiting the distance that bus stops were moved and, where buses were retained, using larger vehicles running less frequently.
However, Paul Cullen, chair of Oxford Pedestrians’ Association, said: ‘There’s no point having a more pleasant environment if nobody can reach it.

‘I would prefer measures to reduce the nuisance caused by buses by reducing their number and size, and the removal of buses from important streets such as Queen Street.’ Closing Cornmarket to buses – a 250m walk – had ‘made north-south journeys only suitable for the determined’.

The Oxford Civic Society was concerned that closing certain streets would ‘simply shift the problem of too many buses to other streets, while creating an even longer-trek for commuters to their ultimate destinations’.

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