A housing chief has claimed controversial traffic measures are not working for the "overwhelming majority" of people she represents as officials considered scrapping them entirely.

Oxford city councillors spent Monday evening's full council discussion debating a motion which encouraged the council leader to write to Oxfordshire County Council urging removal of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs).

The original Independent Group motion was not passed but the chamber was deadlocked on a Labour amendment which wanted LTNs to be rolled out only "where there is local support", with 18 votes for and 18 against.

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LTNs were made permanent in east Oxford with the intention of preventing traffic from taking short cuts through residential areas and making streets safer for walking and cycling.

Oxford Mail: LTNs in east Oxford.LTNs in east Oxford. (Image: Ed Nix.)

But some business owners say they have lost trade and others believe the measures have increased congestion.

A traffic filter trial is due to commence in the autumn, which will result in private cars being prohibited from driving through three areas of the city centre and three in east Oxford, under ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition) camera enforcement.

Labour councillor Linda Smith, who represents the Lye Valley ward, said: "The overwhelming people in Lye Valley think the LTNs are not working for them.

"It's about them in floods of tears thinking how they're going to drop the kids off to school or look after elderly residents."

Oxford Mail: Linda Smith.Linda Smith. (Image: Contribution.)

But Ms Smith added she thought "just ripping them out" was "not the responsible thing to do".

"I am reliably informed people on Divinity Road love them," she said.

A casting vote from Oxford lord mayor Lubna Arshad passed the amended Labour motion.

It removes the original motion's proposals to "scrap plans for divisive traffic filters" and instead commits to "public and independent evaluation of the traffic filter trials" and aims to ensure NHS and school staff are "not adversely affected by any work place levy across the city".

The Oxford Labour party were criticised by some councillors for "sitting on the fence" with their amendment.

Speaking after the meeting, campaigner Richard Parnham said the motion "watered down the actual proposals to the point that LTNs would be mostly kept and traffic filters still installed".

But Labour amendment proposer Sandy Douglas said: "Despite the bad-tempered debate, this has been a significant step forward.

Oxford Mail: Sandy Douglas.Sandy Douglas. (Image: Oxford City Council.)

"Labour and the city council are calling for the county council to treat residents with more respect, and to implement targeted relaxation of the LTNs where there is clear and sustained local demand."

Ajaz Rehman, an independent group councillor for the Lye Valley ward who forwarded the original motion, said: "For each road that has benefited there is one that has suffered immensely.

Oxford Mail: Ajaz Rehman.Ajaz Rehman. (Image: Oxford City Council.)

"East Oxford means something to East Oxford residents.

"People need to come out and say whether they are for or against these measures."

Independent Temple Cowley ward councillor Saj Malik added: "LTNs have bought misery to hundreds of people.

"It is a class war."