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City edition Thursday, January 25 - Wednesday, January 31, 2018
oxfordshireguardian.co.uk
One last push for Donnington Park fundraisers
Helping families be together at toughest times
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Page 16
Taste of the Big Apple
Studen theatre t group brings Sweet Charity to the Playho use
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Who next for United after Pep sacked? Sport
‘Changes to bus routes could affect economy of city centre’ By George Welch AN independent body representing Oxfordshire bus passengers has found “fundamental flaws” in draft proposals to change bus routes in central Oxford. Bus Users Oxford spoke out last week following the launch of a consultation on plans to ‘end the dominance of buses’ and ease congestion in the city. The key stakeholder group said transport bosses have ‘gone loopy’ with a new one-way system scheme that will ban buses from a number of key city centre streets. Bus Users said all four potential bus routes, drafted by consultants Phil Jones Associates, would “significantly reduce people’s access to and through central Oxford, thereby harming the city’s economy, society and environment”. All four options would ban buses from Queen Street and George Street as well as High Street in one direction. Two of the options (variations of a one-loop bus system) would also ban buses from Magdalen Street, St Aldate’s and Worcester Street. Chairman of Bus Users Oxford and a director of Bus Users UK, Hugh Jaeger, said: “Queen Street and George Street are essential for east-west bus links across the city centre. “Three quarters of Oxford’s population lives east of the River Cherwell. Banning buses from either or both of those streets would strangle
their bus links with the rail station. “North-south bus links across the city centre are already minimal… banning buses from Magdalen Street and St Aldate’s would make walking distances between bus stops even longer.” He added that passengers would be forced to walk further distances between stops, echoing comments made by the two major bus companies in the city, which also warned access was ‘vital’ and journey times and walking distances must not increase. However, Mr Jaeger praised the idea of buses returning to Cornmarket Street for the first time since 1999, citing improved walking distances between bus stops for the groups’ approval. Two of the four options (variations of a two-loop bus system) would involve buses returning to Cornmarket. He said: “Phil Jones has got one thing right. He realises that the rigid, inflexible dogma of banning all buses from Cornmarket is a problem and must be reviewed.” Phil Jones, of Phil Jones Associates, said that each option had positives and negatives but welcomed the view of transport groups. The county council’s cabinet member for environment and economy, Yvonne Constance said the proposals would ‘help get people around Oxford efficiently, improve air quality and reduce congestion’.
Waddling to protect Antarctic A waddle of penguins fighting to protect their habitat joined in a protest by Oxford Greenpeace. The activists set up their placards at Bonn Square to spread awareness and call for the world’s largest protected area to be created in the Antarctic Ocean. The six penguins and their human friends joined activists around the world, from Argentina to India, South Korea to South Africa, to campaign to protect the area.
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