Sir – City council leader Bob Price has revived the idea of pedestrianising Broad Street. Fifteen years ago the Oxford Transport Strategy removed all Broad Street car parking. Retailers claimed this damaged trade, so in 2001 Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) restored 25 spaces.

But a study for OCC showed removing parking had not damaged trade. Studies elsewhere also show that retailers tend to over-estimate how many of their customers come by car. But Broad Street has also central Oxford’s biggest and most-used motorcycle park. It has space for about 20 machines: nearly 40 per cent of the city centre’s on-street motorcycle parking. Neither of the two councils has ever credibly proposed where to relocate motorcycle parking for this part of central Oxford.

Why should motorcycles be a special case? Because they save parking space, reduce traffic queues, and small motorcycles use far less fuel and emit far less than cars. 40% of motorcycles registered in Oxford are scooters, mopeds or other machines of 125cc or less. But central Oxford has never had enough motorcycle parking. This discourages motorcycle use.

Nearly four per cent of private vehicles in Oxfordshire are motorcycles, but most of their owners also have a car. Increasing city centre motorcycle parking would encourage up to four per cent of motorists to leave their car at home and come by motorcycle.

In a city centre, space is money. Ten square metres is enough space for 10 bicycles, four or five motorcycles but only one car. Increasing motorcycle parking would save space and help Oxford’s economy.

Broad Street can be improved without removing motorcycle parking. Traffic signals at both ends could be removed now. Those at the Parks Road end only delay traffic, increase emissions and intrude into tourists’ photographs. Those at the George Street end cause buses to stop at obstructive angles instead of clearing the junction.

Hugh Jaeger
Oxfordshire Area Representative
British Motorcyclists’ Federation
Oxford