Councillors are being advised to make the trial East Oxford LTNs permanent when they vote next Tuesday.

A decision on the controversial trial traffic calming measures will be made by the council's cabinet on October 17.

County council officers, in their report ahead of the decision meeting, have recommended that the east Oxford low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) stay in place, with changes. 

Proposed changes include the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras in place of physical closures in Divinity Road, James Street and Magdalen Road.

There will be exemptions for emergency services, waste and postal services and private hire vehicles.

A bollard will be placed at the junction of Jeune Street and St Clement's and Jeune Street will be two-way south of the restriction.

The cabinet will also be asked to approve the investigation of further measures to improve public transport journey times across the city, it said.

It said LTNs are designed to work together with other measures including the planned traffic filters trial to reduce traffic levels and encourage more walking, cycling and public transport use.

The traffic filters trial will begin when Network Rail’s work to improve Oxford Rail Station is completed (expected to be autumn 2024). 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport management, said: “For a long time, LTNs have been one part of a wider set of proposals designed to increase walking, cycling and public transport use around Oxford. 

“The decision on whether to continue with the measures in east Oxford will be made by the county council’s cabinet with reference to a significant body of evidence made up of reports from public consultations together with monitoring and evaluation information, including transport and air quality data and feedback from stakeholders.”