Oxford’s controversial traffic filters scheme should be postponed until disruption has finished in Botley Road or motorists will face “enormous trouble”, councillors have claimed.
Oxfordshire County Council plans to trial the scheme, which will result in private cars being banned from six streets in the city at certain times, from October 2024.
The start date will coincide with the planned reopening of Botley Road, which has been closed at the rail bridge since April causing traffic misery for motorists.
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The council avoided overlapping the major projects in the fear it would exacerbate traffic issues.
But the highways authority has faced calls to push back the filters scheme by six months after it emerged disruption would continue in Botley Road beyond its reopening.
Osney Bridge, which carries Botley Road over the River Thames, will be reduced to one lane controlled by traffic lights while Thames Water replaces a leaking water pipe.
The work, which comes after a water pipe was damaged by an Environment Agency boat in April 2021, will last from March 2024 to March 2025.
It has raised fears of more “traffic chaos” in Botley Road.
And councillors are concerned the congestion will be made worse by the traffic filters, with fears that cars could divert via the A34 and Botley Road to avoid them.
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Labour councillor Susanna Pressel, who represents Osney on both Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council, has written to the county council’s highways chief Andrew Gant urging him to postpone the filters scheme.
In her email, which has been seen by the Oxford Times, she said people living in her ward were “very anxious” about the situation.
She said: “If we don’t postpone it, residents in Mill Street, Barrett Street, Russell Street, Arthur Street, Mill Bank, Osney Lane West, Abbey Road, Cripley Road, Roger Dudman Way and Venneit Close will often have enormous trouble when they try to drive out of their street and into Botley Road, because traffic will be backed up in both directions.
“Other residents will have enormous trouble if they try to drive eastwards, especially at weekends.”
Conservative shadow highways chief Liam Walker, who is councillor for Hanborough and Minster Lovell, added: “My view is the traffic filter scheme is not the way to tackle congestion in the city and will just result in more congestion on the outer ring road and on the A34.
“There seems to be no coordinated plan in place to get a grip of this issue.
“It also seems the cabinet member for highways is distracted buying 20mph colouring books for kids rather than getting his own crayons out and coming up with a solution to end the constant gridlock we are seeing in Oxford and on the surrounding roads.
“#GantsGridlock isn’t just a hashtag on social media it’s the misery facing thousands of motorists everyday due to Mr Gant’s lack of action on tackling congestion.”
The traffic filters scheme has been criticised by councillors and traders with fears it will increase congestion and turn Oxford into a “camera-controlled city”.
The filters will be trialled in St Cross Road, Thames Street, Hythe Bridge Street, St Clement’s, Marston Ferry Road and Hollow Way.
The council claims they will alleviate congestion, make bus journeys faster and more reliable, and enable new and improved bus routes.
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Liberal Democrat and council leader Liz Leffman, who represents Charlbury and Wychwood, refused to postpone the scheme because of the Osney Bridge work.
She said: “The council will work with Thames Water to minimise the impact on residents and businesses, and the effects on the rest of the road network.”
The three-phase repair project by Thames Water will close the pedestrian footpath, cycle lane and carriageway on the northside of the bridge.
The River Thames under the bridge will be closed to boats in March 2024, and again between November 2024 and March 2025.
Layla Moran, MP for Oxford West and Abingdon, has questioned why Thames Water could not coincide the work with the Botley Road closure, in which time the bridge has hardly been used.
She said: “I am disappointed to see that the chaos of Botley Road is now set to last even longer.
“Residents and businesses in Oxford have dealt with so much trouble with this already, and now they’re going to face more disruption.
“I urged Thames Water to co-ordinate the timetable of works with Network Rail, to prevent Botley Road being disrupted for longer than necessary.
“I am disappointed that they have failed to do so.
“I understand the concerns that local residents may have about the impact of traffic filters on existing disruption, and I am working closely with Oxfordshire County Council to ensure they monitor the situation closely and act accordingly.”
A Thames Water spokeswoman said: “We’re committed to protecting our future water resources.
"That’s why we are carrying out a three-phase project to replace damaged water mains and reinforce Osney Bridge in Oxford.”
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