OXFORD’S cyclists will hardly be reassured by Mr Hudspeth’s promise that “there will be a safety audit” once the Frideswide Square work is complete. It would have been better to do this properly before the work started.

Liberal Democrats on the county and city councils have argued strongly at every opportunity for the interests of cyclists to be properly included. We don’t need an audit after implementation to find out what is wrong – we can tell you now: the roadway isn’t wide enough, the shared space on the footway isn’t signed well enough, cycle routes from town towards the station are confused and inaccessible, and there is a worrying lack of clarity around the junction of Rewley Road and Hythe Bridge Street.

Shared road space is an interesting idea, which works well on the continent when it is coordinated across a town centre. But it isn’t here. Separate bike lanes would have been safer and less confusing – I’m certainly not keen on being used as a human brake to slow down buses, nor having to negotiate with them as they edge in and out of their undersized bays.

Meanwhile, Mr Nimmo Smith seems surprised that the bus bays appear to be the wrong size (Oxford Mail, November 14). Isn’t he the cabinet member for transport?

So far, provision for cyclists has not kept up with development across the city. We need bold ideas, joined-up thinking, quicker implementation and better results. Liberal Democrats will continue to fight hard to get them.

ANDREW GANT (CLLR)
Liberal Democrat City Councillor for Summertown
Lib Dem City cycling Spokesperson