Councillors have called out Rishi Sunak for choosing to focus on traffic policy rather than the environment.

It comes after the prime minister reassured motorists he was “on their side” by stating low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) as failing to take account of “how families live their lives”.

Mr Sunak was speaking to The Sunday Telegraph over the weekend and ordered the Department for Transport to carry out a review of LTNs and the Secretary of State for Transport

In response, Oxford city councillor Emily Kerr said: “Tories taking an anti-LTN stance has not prevented them from going from five-out-of-six councils to just one-out-of-six in only four years.

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“It’s embarrassing that the prime minister is focusing on the minutiae of local government traffic policy, rather than the economy, environment or NHS.”

County councillor Charlie Hicks said: “This is a sign that Rishi Sunak has no plan for the country.

“He is making major political strategy off the back of one by-election.

“Unfortunately for him, LTNs don’t make a difference at the ballot box.”

Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Sunak said: “The vast majority of people in the country use their cars to get around and are dependent on their cars.

“I just want to make sure people know that I’m on their side in supporting them to use their cars to do all the things that matter to them.”

 

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1