OXFORD'S drugs taskforce is turning its attention to new parts of the city after successfully cleaning up what were seen as the worst affected areas. 

Streets in East Oxford will come under the spotlight after residents reported a wave of drug-related anti-social behaviour in recent months. 

It means the taskforce will move its activity from South Park and St Clement's car park as the issues there are seen as largely resolved. 

Oxford Mail:

The next areas being targeted include: 

  • The area between James Street, Bullingdon Road, Denmark Street and St Mary’s Road in East Oxford
  • The rest of St Mary’s Road and Hurst Street, part of Magdalen Road, and Essex Street, Hertford Street, Catherine Street, Sidney Street and Percy Street.

Areas which will continue to be targeted: 

  • Grandpont - including Friars Wharf, Whitehouse Road, Riverside Court and the South Oxfordshire Adventure Playground
  • The area around Meadow Lane in East Oxford - including Jackdaw Lane and the Kidneys

Areas where work has now finished:

  • South Park
  • St Clement's car park

The taskforce - which comprises of Oxford City Council, Thames Valley Police and Oxfordshire County Council - has chosen the new areas due to the number of reports they have received from people living there and data including needle finds. 

All residents of Oxford are being encouraged to report any and all drug-related incidents on the Thames Valley Police website to help inform future activity. 

The taskforce is promising to call back everyone who reports an issue and has spoken to 259 people since the launch six months ago. 

Activity has included increased police patrols, needle clean-ups, cutting back foliage to improve sightlines, installing CCTV cameras, providing additional lighting and moving public benches into more visible locations.

PS Guy Elkins, Oxford Public Spaces Drugs Taskforce, said: "There has been a noticeable reduction in drug activity and drug related antisocial behaviour in Oxford.

"This is a slow process and a huge project, but I am proud of the multi-agency work happening across the city and we will continue to utilise the resources available to us in this fantastic city.”