Bob the Worm

@OxfordClarion When @cycloxoxford describe it as a "complex picture", you can be pretty sure it means it's a failure.

@OxfordClarion But I would also say that it's a perfect example of where an average is misleading - bus journeys are slower in some parts of the city, much faster in others. Exactly as we all knew they would be.

Buses on Oxford’s arterial roads are 12% faster in the morning rush hour, following the introduction of the congestion charge, than this time last year. Oxfordshire County Council has released data from the first month, which shows traffic has fallen but footfall is holding up.

@OxfordClarion bookmarking this for the next "footfall in Oxford up 2%" stories accompanied by the denial it's all down to tourists

Tourism in Oxford has grown 17% year on year, according to Oxford City Council. Over 9.4m people visited the city centre between September & November 2024 compared to just 8m in the prior year. The figures were released as part of the council's annual Authority Monitoring Report.

@YourPartyOxon he was a bit late to talk about a "proposed congestion charge". It's been in place for more than a month

During his visit to Oxford last week, Jeremy Corbyn met with Your Party members and local residents to talk about the future of politics, the impact of LTNs, and the proposed congestion charge. He backed the grassroots movement for more democratic, community-led decision making.

@PeterOneH @ReconnectingOx @OxfordshireCC @ICOnews @AndrewGant3 Literally every time I get in the car in the morning since the congestion charge. When are OCC going to call Google and say "no, this is the new normal"?

@ReconnectingOx @OxfordshireCC @ICOnews @AndrewGant3 Both the council and Cllr Gant have been asked to postpone, or preferably scrap the congestion scheme due to use of faulty data, faulty software, poor signage and increased congestion on roads into / around Oxford. That ignores the consultation result of 74% against. Democracy?

If @OxfordshireCC and its contractors are unable to process permit holders' congestion charge usage in accordance with the scheme's approved rules, the whole thing needs to be switched off until the bugs are fixed. We will raise the issue with the @ICOnews , @AndrewGant3

@DannyYee It's just not very meaningful comparing cities with such different infrastructures. Glasgow has a metro. Edinburgh has a tram.

@bob_the_worm It gives a feel for the level of charge needed to reduce car use by different amounts.

Scottish study suggests a £15/day congestion charge (discounted to £7.50 for those on low incomes) might be needed for Oxford to achieve the county's 2030 car reduction target transport.gov.scot/publication/tr…

@ReconnectingOx @BBCOxford You know the answer to that question. It's a congestion charge with exemptions for electric vehicles. It's not a "zero emission zone" at all.

@BBCOxford It certainly isn't about tackling pollution because there's hardly any at all. Legal limit = 40µg/m3. City Council 2025 target = 30µg/m3. WHO gold standard = 10.µg/m3 ZEZ expansion area (2023) - even before electric buses = 19.89 µg/m3. What is the purpose of this £5m+ scheme?

Zero Emission Zone 'not about attacking motorists' bbc.in/4hfBRB0

@AndrewGant3 Listening to what people want, however belatedly, is not "opportunistic".

Labour and Tories competing with each other to bin as many of their own policies as they can. They pretend to support better buses and safer streets but they’re too scared to back policies to deliver them. They’ve given up. The voters are giving up on them oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24876902.…

@OneHeadington @OxfordClarion it's not at all contradictory that Oxford is great for businesses outside the ring road, but terrible for businesses inside.

@OneHeadington @OxfordClarion I can absolutely believe it's true. But it doesn't say Oxford city centre. These businesses are all out around the ring road and science parks etc.

Oxford is the UK's best city to start a business in 2025, says new research from business finance experts, who examined cost of commercial space, high speed internet connections and business closures. Bristol came second and Cambridge 20th.

@OxfordCity Now try explaining where the sense is in such a crazy division of responsibilities in running a city.

New to Oxford? Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, explains what we do in 25 seconds or less 🏛️🏠🌍🌳🧹💼💡

@HeadingtonNews @sharoncurtis @Oxford_Tube are we really meant to believe there is no way of putting a "this stop is not in use" message on those electronic displays? seems pretty basic.

@sharoncurtis @Oxford_Tube I think the electronic signs at Brookes probably accurately show the time that the buses would arrive if they were able to get up and down Headington Hill (which they obviously can't). A simple solution would be to paste a warning notice over them

#Oxfordtube Due to fallen wall at Headington Hill our services are on diversion via Marston Rd, Headley Way in both direction. Passengers trying to board the coach at Brookes University to London please make your way to St Clements. Apologies for any inconvenience caused..

@ReconnectingOx @Susie722086 they'd ignore the rules, that's would happen

@Susie722086 It is possible to designate most footpaths in a park out of bounds to cyclists, with specific routes permitted. Or designated shared paths. This happens in many other parts of the country, where cycling through parks is normal. Let's have a trial and see what happens.

"It would be impossible to permit cycling though university parks because it would cause too much disruption". University Parks, 8am this morning on an off-road University Parks path that directly links the Marston Cycle Path to a bike store. It's heaving with pedestrians. 🤣

@ReconnectingOx However bad the traffic is in Oxford, we really need to retain some cycle-free places. There are few enough of them as it is.

@Ind_Ox_Alliance the main issue with all of these misguided traffic schemes is that they deliberately remove resilience from the road system. I cannot think of any other type of infrastructure where such idiocy would be tolerated

We’re hearing Oxford is gridlocked again and people are deserting buses to walk. Any help offered in unlocking the LTNs? No, we didn’t think so either….🙄

@timbearder Genuine question. Is there any evidence that increasing fuel duty reduces fuel usage? or does it just make people poorer.

No party, mine included, thought it was a good idea to reinstate fuel duty…

@AndrewGant3 Pathetic. One day a week, for less than one month

Bus fares reduction is announced for Oxfordshire passengers | Oxford Mail oxfordmail.co.uk/news/24742311.…

@terrymac51 @daisychristo yes. this is exactly my daughter's experience too. A-level is slightly better.... but not much. Too formulaic based on "what the examiner wants"

A pessimistic post from me this morning about the decline of English Lit. Is it all the fault of Gove's exam reforms? I'm not convinced, because the decline of Eng lit & humanities is a global trend - and I think reversing it could be much harder than people think.