THE OXFORD PAPER Thursday, March 1, 2018 No.81
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Weekly leisure guide A good for in & habit around to have Oxford
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Join The Jacksons for disco day at Common People
Sister Act Live Cho ir to light up New Theatre
Trekking the Great Wall to Connor death: Doctor Campaigners demand Page 10 say thank you Page 15 exit from Brexit Page 6 apologises
Could cable cars above city hold answer to congestion? By Owen Hughes CABLE cars could soon be sailing over the heads of Oxford commuters if councillors “move quickly” to get the radical plans off the ground. Green Party councillors fi rst suggested the idea of aerial cars above the city’s skyline in their amendments to last week’s city council budget. Green group shadow member for transport, culture and communities, city councillor Dick Wolff, said plans are still “in the very early stages”. Cllr Wolff is one of three members of the recently formed ACT4Oxford group, which hopes to introduce the alternative method of transport to Oxford. He added the Aerial Car Transport system would be “15 times cheaper than trams”. “Quite where the idea fi rst came from, I’m not absolutely sure. “The fi rst time I heard about it was at a residents’ group in the city centre, about introducing cable cars from Redbridge Park and Ride into John Lewis, but that was before John Lewis was built. “There’s no fi xation on a particular route, but they don’t only have to go up or down hill. “I spoke with [county council leader] Ian Hudspeth yesterday, and I’ve spoken with an expert in Toronto, who we would like to get over to get his opinion.”
Oxford Civic Society will discuss alternative methods of transport at its day conference in July, but Cllr Wolff said he fears that would be “too late”. “Highways planners are already modelling congestion charges and restricted access to the city centre, so this idea is very timely, but we have to move quickly,” he said. Lois Muddiman from Low Carbon West Oxford said the organisation would support research into cable cars as part of a “wider, integrated transport solution including better, safer, cycle and pedestrian routes”. She added: “We urgently need to get more people out of their cars and onto alternative methods of transport. “We can envisage cable cars being used by residents, commuters and tourists as an alternative way of travelling to the centre of Oxford or to key destinations such as the JR.” The futuristic urban gondolas would bring Oxford in line with European cities such as Brest, Toulouse and Lyon. Plans to introduce a suspended transport network in Bath last year met significant opposition from residents concerned the cable car would dominate the landscape and allow travellers to see into gardens and houses. No costs have been suggested for the network, but the Green Party have asked Oxford City Council for £24,000 to fund initial research.
All aboard to boost charity
Back Lynn and David Lewis with front, Stagecoach in Oxfordshire business development manager Karen Coventry and Lucy Walker, Helen & Douglas House community fundraising manager
OXFORD bus drivers who traded in their usual uniform to dress up as Santa over the Christmas period have continued to spread festive cheer after donating nearly £800. Stagecoach in Oxfordshire presented staff from Helen & Douglas House with a cheque for £790.26 following fundraising initiatives carried out by head office staff and bus drivers. The money was raised from a range of festive initiatives including a Christmas jumper day, raffle and a driver dress up day. Joining the cheque presentation were Lynn and David Lewis, whose son James passed away at the hospice in 2014, aged 27. James visited the facility for 15 years for respite care, before he died. Lynn said: “We can never repay the hospice for the love and kindness that they showed us. “We are so grateful to Stagecoach in Oxfordshire and all the supporters in the county, thank you.”
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