NEW traffic calming measures have been described as a ‘nightmare’ for some businesses.

Low Traffic Neighbourhoods were introduced in Church Cowley, Temple Cowley, and Florence Park, Oxford, as part of a six-month trial by Oxfordshire County Council to calm traffic and reduce pollution.

While some businesses have been reaping the benefits of the scheme, others feel more hard done by.

Steve Jones, the manger at the Motorist Discount Centre, on Oxford Road, Cowley, said business had ‘not been good’ since the LTNs were introduced.

He said: “People do not want to travel out and get stuck in all this traffic.

“Business has not been good at all and we’ve had quite a drop.

“You’ve only got to look at the traffic in the morning and from 3pm onwards and it’s gridlocked every day.”

Mr Jones added that what used to be a two to five minute drive to work now takes half an hour.

He said: “It would be quicker to walk, but I have to pick up my elderly mother on the way.”

Other residents have claimed even large food chains have been suffering from the traffic calming scheme.

One resident claimed the Co-Op supermarket on Littlemore Road was losing ‘£15,000 a week’.

Independent city councillor for Cowley, David Henwood, echoed the claims.

He said: “The Co-Op on Littlemore Road is very concerned that their larger lorries that deliver fresh goods will no longer be able to use the Bartholomew Road for access when the ANPR cameras become operational.

“Access will be via the Newman Road junction which isn’t wide enough for the larger lorries to turn left or right.”

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The Co-Op neither confirmed nor denied whether the LTN had been harming sales, but said it was ‘monitoring’ the situation.

The spokesperson said: “We’re aware of the new Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme in Cowley and recognise the urgent need to explore new ways to protect our environment.

“We are monitoring the situation in order to fully understand the outcomes of the changes and to ensure we can continue to meet the shopping needs of the community.”

Other businesses in the LTN area, however, have been thriving since the scheme was first implemented.

Pedal & Post, an eco-courier service that uses cargo bikes to help transport medical deliveries to hospitals such as the John Radcliffe, say the LTNs in the area have had a great effect on the work the service does.

Chris Benton, director of the company, said travel time has been massively reduced as there are no more delays caused by traffic, meaning important clinical samples and medicines that are extremely ‘time sensitive’, have been delivered faster.

Mr Benton said other courier service journeys into the city centre have also become safer and easier for those delivering the goods, via cargo bike, to get to their destinations as there are ‘no segregated cycle lanes’.

Other convenience stores have said there has been little change to business because of the LTNs.

Tananjid Singh, who owns Today’s Local, on Hollow Way, said the LTNs so far have had ‘little effect’ on business, as the shop regulars continue to come into the store.

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The LTN has been introduced as part of an Experimental Traffic Regulation order that will run for six months.

A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said: “The LTN does not prevent access to properties or businesses but may require slight changes in route.

“After six months, the council may decide to extend the experiment for another 12 months before deciding whether to make the scheme permanent, amend it or cancel it.”

Businesses or residents are invited to give their views of the new LTNs by responding to the consultation by visiting consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/Cowley_ExperimentalLowTraffic/consultationHome