In the latest of a spate of attacks on LTNs, a van driver has been spotted stealing an bollard from an East Oxford street. 

The man was seen removing the bollard from Magdalen Road at around 5.30pm on Thursday (19/1) by angry mums with children at nearby schools.

St Mary's Councillor Emily Kerr later tweeted "huge thanks" to the police "for protecting kids on the school run at Mag Rd after a van driver stole bollard yesterday at 5.30pm. To the van driver: we’ve got your numberplate. Fancy returning it?"

 

 

 

Ms Kerr said: "I know that someone else had spotted the same van which has gone through a couple of times before. Then someone else had seen the driver abusing a local neighbour."

She added: "I'm sure you're aware of all the stats. Traffic accidents are the biggest killer of children and young adults aged five to 29 years old.

"This LTN is 50 metres from a school. There's a network of mums, a lot of people have kids in the area.

"The locals really feel strongly about not having people illegally driving through the bollards."

Oxfordshire County Council introduced Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) in the Divinity Road, St Clement's and St Mary's areas in May 2022 "to improve safety, air quality and congestion levels". 

It has led to simmering tensions with fierce opinions on both sides of the argument.

Critics say they offset traffic into boundary roads and have badly damaged local businesses.

Bollards and planters have been repeatedly vandalised, set on fire or smashed down by angry drivers wanting to use the road.

Last summer the residents of Magdalen Road  ‘adopted’ planters and bought plants to put in them which they watered.

However, the plants were regularly ripped out, with barriers sprayed with graffiti, including ‘no LTNs’.

Sally Willis said: “It’s really sad – we wonder where these people come from.

“They obviously don’t care about our neighbourhood or local businesses.

“Who wants to visit somewhere with graffiti everywhere?”

A decision on whether to make the trial scheme permanent or remove it will be made by the county council’s cabinet in the summer/autumn of 2023.

A TVP spokesperson said: “Thames Valley Police received a report that an LTN bollard has been stolen from Magdalen Road, Oxford at around 5.30pm on Thursday (19/1).

“An investigation is ongoing.”

Anyone can provide feedback on the experimental east Oxford LTNs by emailing eastoxfordltn@oxfordshire.gov.uk

 

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This story was written by Miranda Norris, she joined the team in 2021 and covers news across Oxfordshire as well as news from Witney.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Miranda.Norris@newsquest.co.uk. Or find her on Twitter: @Mirandajnorris

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