The appointment is the second of three contracts to be awarded to construct the scheme, which will provide vital transport infrastructure to reduce congestion.

The project will enable more reliable journey times, improve pedestrian and cycling connectivity, support new employment sites and housing in and around Didcot, and help facilitate new and enhanced bus services. The Clifton Hampden Bypass section will re-route traffic on the A415, around the village of Clifton Hampden.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “The A415 is a busy road that experiences a large amount of through traffic and congestion on the A415 to A4074. It runs right through Clifton Hampden, including past the village primary school. This bypass will completely transform that, moving traffic onto a new road to the north of the village. 

“I’m very pleased that we’ve successfully appointed a contractor to provide this much needed bypass.”

The bypass will provide a new single carriageway road, with segregated shared walking and cycling facilities, between the A415 at Culham Science Centre and the B4015 Oxford Road to the north of Clifton Hampden.

A new roundabout at the western end of the road will provide access to Culham Science Centre and Culham railway station. New junctions will be provided to the east of the new roundabout and the existing A415 as well as at the northeastern end of the new road.

Andrew Henry, GRAHAM Contracts Director said: “GRAHAM’s latest appointment by Oxfordshire County Council reflects our ongoing partnership with the local authority. We are pleased to have been appointed to deliver this important infrastructure scheme, which will play a key role in improving connectivity in and around Didcot.

"At GRAHAM, we bring a strong track record of delivering complex infrastructure projects, and we look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with Oxfordshire County Council to successfully deliver this scheme and create lasting benefits for the region."

Pauline Schaffer, Director – Infrastructure Funding, Homes England, said: The appointment of GRAHAM by Oxfordshire County Council is another major step forward in delivering vital transport improvements for Didcot and the surrounding areas.

“Homes England’s investment through the Housing Infrastructure Fund is helping to bring forward the Didcot infrastructure scheme, unlocking much needed new homes and economic growth for the local area.”

Enabling works, including site clearance, archaeology investigations and utility diversions, are already underway. Main construction is expected to start in the Spring, and last approximately two years.

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Oxfordshire County Council has today (24 June 2025) launched a four-week survey to capture people’s views and ideas.

Proposals are being made to enhance the area and improve accessibility, walking, wheeling and cycling. This follows a commitment by both Oxfordshire County Council and Wantage Town Council in 2024, to explore ways to make the Market Place more accessible and safer for residents and visitors.

Officers from the county council have been working with the local community to investigate how space could be redesigned to the make the town centre a better place to spend time for shopping, leisure or business.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Our vision for Wantage Market Place is to create a vibrant, welcoming, and accessible space for everyone. We aim to enhance the historical charm of the market town while addressing the challenges of climate change. By improving opportunities for walking, wheeling, cycling, and using public transport, we hope to make the Market Place a healthier, friendlier and safer environment for all.

“The project is at an early stage and a design is yet to be developed. Tell us what you think and make suggestions to help us shape the project designs and goals. We would like to find out what is important to local residents and businesses and how we can make it economically and environmentally useful for future years.

“We’ll use what we learn, work with the community to develop a draft design, and come back to you for further consultation next year.”

People can take part in an online survey on the county council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire. The consultation closes at 11.59pm on Tuesday 22 July 2025.

The online survey will be supported by two drop-in events for members of the public to find out about the project and speak to the team in person:

• Saturday 5 July 2025 – 10am - 4pm

Vale & Downland Museum (Barn Gallery), 19 Church Street, OX12 8BL

• Wednesday 9 July 2025 – 5pm - 8pm

Wantage Methodist Church (Chapel area), 20 Newbury Street, OX12 8DA

A further public consultation on the draft design will take place in 2026, with construction expected once further funding is confirmed. 

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Assembly participants were selected by a randomised sortition process to broadly represent Oxfordshire residents. They came together to address the challenge question of: ‘What steps do we need to take so Oxfordshire's transport system enables our county's health, economy, and environment to thrive in 2050?’. Thirty four residents committed 45 hours of their time, including nine in-person discussion and engagement sessions at County Hall in Oxford, delivered by experts in deliberative democracy, MutualGain. 

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “I would like to thank members of the assembly for the huge commitment they have made to learning about and considering the issues we face in meeting some of our ambitious transport targets. I was struck by the sense of responsibility that I felt in the room on Sunday and I look forward to considering the assembly’s recommendations in detail. I am very thankful for their valuable contribution throughout this whole engagement process.”

Participants were asked to provide recommendations towards achieving the vision and targets set out in the council’s local transport and connectivity plan in ways that best meet the needs and preferences of the people of Oxfordshire and other stakeholders. Their recommendations were presented live at the end of the process to representatives from the council and are published on the council’s website (agenda item 9.)

Assembly members heard from over 40 experts during their learning and deliberation, including academics, businesses representatives, community representatives, travel and transport specialists and council officers, who provided wide-ranging information and covered different perspectives. The assembly discussed implications for the whole county and a portion of the overall time was focused on the central Oxfordshire travel plan area. 

The process that council officers propose for responding to the assembly’s recommendations uses a structured framework to ensure fair and thorough consideration. A full report of the citizens’ assembly and the council’s response to the assembly’s recommendations will be considered by the council’s cabinet in July 2025. 

Subject to consent, it is hoped that the council can continue to work with assembly participants. 

The council will publish more detailed information on what the assembly covered, including evidence givers’ presentations and films (where consent has been obtained), to coincide with the publication of the final report of the assembly in July 2025. 

More information about the assembly is available on the council’s website at oxfordshire.gov.uk/CitizensAssembly

More information

Oxfordshire County Council aims to create a net-zero travel and transport system that enhances quality of life, supports the local economy, and protects the environment.

Key targets include:

• Reducing 1 in 4 car trips by 2030
• Achieving a net-zero transport network by 2040
• Minimising road fatalities by 2050

A citizens’ assembly is a broadly representative group of residents who are chosen by democratic lottery. Citizens’ assemblies follow agreed standards and usually adopt a three-step process whereby participants:

• learn by hearing evidence from a wide range of experts and questioning these;
• deliberate with one another, carefully considering what they have heard and weighing up the pros and cons; and
• reach collective recommendations on what they think should be done, with each recommendation aiming for 80 per cent agreement across all assembly members.

Recruitment to the council’s travel and transport citizens’ assembly was led by the Sortition Foundation. Forty Oxfordshire residents were selected by democratic lottery to take part against broad quotas designed to reflect the population make-up of the county in terms of geography, demographics, driver status and attitudes towards climate change. Of the 40 residents selected, a core group of 34 assembly members attended every meeting.

The assembly process is overseen by an independent advisory board whose duties included helping to make sure the information discussed by participants was accurate and balanced and that the recommendations are considered by stakeholders and policymakers.

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Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council are now asking for views from residents, businesses and visitors on a revised ZEZ pilot proposal after a similar consultation was paused in March 2020 because of the pandemic.

The proposed ZEZ pilot aims to reduce the city’s air pollution levels, tackle the climate emergency and improve the health of residents, workers and visitors to Oxford and beyond.

The need to cut emissions is clear. In January 2020, a study from Centre for Cities found out that at least one in 17 deaths in Oxford is related to air pollution. Oxford City Council’s draft Air Quality Action Plan sets a local target of 30 by 25 – ie 30 µg/m3 across Oxford by 2025. In April 2014, a report issued by Public Health England showed that long term exposure to air pollution in Oxford could be responsible for six per cent of all deaths of people aged 25 and over.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, added: “Tackling air pollution and climate change is a great priority for us. Not only will our plans for a city centre Zero Emission Zone make a difference to the quality of life and health of people living and working in the city centre, but we are also showing that it is possible as we start to respond seriously with climate action.

We can look forward to a city that will be a healthier and cleaner place for all, especially now that the county has moved forward on its commitment to accelerate initiatives such as these plans. The changes we propose are based on the feedback we have received and we encourage residents, businesses and visitors to submit feedback on the final plans in the consultation ahead."

Councillor Tom Hayes, Oxford City Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, said: “COVID-19 has forced local government to divert significant focus onto supporting our communities through the toughest time they’ll know. All the while, the city council has kept up our focus on climate breakdown and air pollution, including speeding up Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone.

“I’m thrilled that the implementation of the city centre ZEZ is moving forwards and the scheme’s emissions standards will be the toughest possible. The city has joined together in recent years to develop this ZEZ scheme and we hope for the largest number of responses to our final consultation.”

The ZEZ pilot would be based on a road user charging scheme, which means vehicles used in the zone 7am - 7pm would be subject to charges, depending on their emissions. Only 100 per cent zero emission vehicles could be used in the zone free of charge.

Other vehicles would be subject to the daily charges with the amount depending on the emissions of the vehicle. Discounts are also proposed for certain vehicles or road users during the charging hours (7am – 7pm) including resident and business vehicles within the zone, and for Blue Badge holders.

Under the requirement of the scheme, income raised by the ZEZ may be used to cover implementation and running costs.

The remaining income will be used to help residents and businesses make the transition to zero emission vehicles, and on other schemes that promote zero and low emission transport in the city.

The consultation follows the government’s announcement this week announcing that the sale of petrol and diesel cars will be banned from 2030. Britain is moving closer towards adopting electric vehicles on a wider scale. The ZEZ will go beyond this ambition, with the ZEZ pilot to be introduced in Summer 2021, and on a wider scale in spring 2022.

The councils are now proposing to create a single city centre ZEZ with a single set of requirements, in two steps. Firstly, an area in the heart of the city centre will act as the ZEZ pilot, which will then, secondly, provide learnings for a wider ZEZ to cover the whole city centre in spring 2022, on an accelerated timeline.

The larger ZEZ will be subject to further consultation but its alignment with the pilot zone would allow for clearer emissions criteria and greater support for residents and businesses within the ZEZ area.

The councils have made several changes to the ZEZ proposals after reflecting on the feedback from the January 2020 ZEZ consultation, the experience of COVID-19, the spring lockdown and the feedback from the temporary bus gates survey in the summer. These include:

• Red Zone now explicitly a Zero Emission Zone pilot (ZEZ pilot) for the wider ZEZ, with identical requirements and discounts in both phases – This will allow both councils to develop learnings on implementing the scheme before wider roll out and will allow the wider ZEZ to be accelerated, delivering further air quality benefits more quickly.

• Charges across both the ZEZ pilot and wider city centre ZEZ would be linked to emissions and aligned with national standards – This will help encourage the adoption of low emission and zero emission vehicles, as well as simplifying the requirements for residents and businesses in the ZEZ pilot.

• ZEZ pilot to start Summer 2021 and wider ZEZ to be introduced in Spring 2022.

• Blue badge holder discount extended – This will be extended to include international equivalents.

• Review discount for Blue Badge Holders and disabled tax class vehicles by the end of 2024 - This will consider whether this discount should continue, reduce or stop from 2025 and to address concerns raised about the impact on access for people with disabilities.

• Review zero emission standard for large vans and lorries – This will address concerns about consistency with national guidance and in light of the Ultra-Low Emission Truck (ULET) standard.

• Discounts for certain special vehicle categories – This will address concerns about the availability of alternative options and ensure consistency with national emissions standards including Clean Air Zones and London ULEZ. The ZEZ is part of a wider local transport plan, which aims to improve connectivity, reduce emissions and support sustainable growth across Oxford and Oxfordshire. In 2019, both councils consulted on their Connecting Oxford proposals to tackle congestion and improve public transport connections into and across Oxford.

Responses to this consultation will be reported to the councils’ Cabinets in March 2021 and will inform their decisions about the scheme. 

Anyone can take part in the consultation by visiting Oxfordshire County Council’s website

Further details on the pilot proposals can be found here.

Frequently asked questions on the pilot proposals can be found here.

Notes to editors

The ZEZ pilot covers the area previously known as the ‘Red Zone’ (Bonn Square, Queen Street, Cornmarket, part of Market Street, Ship Street, St Michael’s Street, New Inn Hall Street, and Shoe Lane) and the wider ZEZ covers the previous ‘Green Zone’, which will cover the rest of the city centre.

The above outlines the wider proposed Zero Emission Zone with the pilot zone at the centre.

Other initiatives to cut transport emissions

• Alongside the ZEZ, both councils are introducing supportive measures, to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles amongst residents and businesses both within the ZEZ pilot and across the city. The measures include:
  • Energy Superhub Oxford, which will deliver massive amounts of power for rapid EV charging at key locations around the city, including a public superhub at Redbridge Park & Ride.
  • £128,500 towards testing of low-cost innovative air quality sensors to map air pollution and exposure, £122,500 towards advice for businesses on zero emission delivery and servicing solutions.
  • £500,000 towards electric charging points for hackney carriages and private hire vehicles.
  • £2.3 million towards electric and low emission buses.
• Buses and Oxford licensed Hackney Carriages that drive within the planned ZEZ also have already agreed timelines for zero emissions fleets across Oxford.
• In Oxford city centre, narrow streets, limited road network and the unique historic environment have made finding solutions to the problems of congestion and pollution a high priority. 

The new, temporary bus gates are set to be installed as part of plans by Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council, working in close partnership, for the recovery of sustainable transport services as lockdown is eased. The aim is to implement the two gates in August.

A bus gate is a form of access restriction that allows only buses, cyclists, emergency vehicles and other limited exempt users to access to certain key roads between particular times of day (often 7am-7pm).

Bus gates do not prevent access to areas of the city. They aim to redirect traffic through a different route and reduce the use of the city centre as a through-route.

The new experimental bus gates do not require prior consultation or modeling before being installed, however they will be monitored and a consultation will be launched to assess their impact.

The city centre already operates a number of bus gates at High Street, George Street, and Castle Street which have helped reduce congestion and allow passengers to enjoy faster journeys.

As the transport authority, Oxfordshire County Council will be implementing the two temporary bus gates, however the project has been funded by Oxford City Council. The two councils have been working closely together on measures to support social distancing and to protect public health across the city.

Oxfordshire County Council has committed to invest almost £3m of Government funding to support projects to encourage safe pedestrian and cycle movement in cities. Additionally, the City Council has committed £234,000 to start the work to allow pedestrians and cyclists to maintain social distancing.

Oxfordshire County Council will implement two temporary bus gates in the city centre initially located at:

1. On Hythe Bridge Street or Worcester Street, between Frideswide Square and Beaumont Street
2. On St Cross Road or South Parks Road, between Parks Road and Manor Road.

The exact location of the bus gates is to be decided, and due to their temporary nature they might even be moved slightly after installation in response to feedback. A third bus gate is also being considered on Thames Street or Oxpens Road and may be introduced if monitoring of the two initial bus gates suggests this is necessary and desirable.

It is proposed that the gates will be open to all buses and coaches, bikes, electric bikes, taxis and private hire vehicles, blue badge holders and disabled tax class vehicles and the councils also plan to allow city centre residents (through one nominated bus gate only, between 10am and 4pm). Some of these exemptions will require systems to be set up at very short notice so they may not all be in full operation from the outset. More details on the exemptions and how they will work in practice will be shared shortly.

Why bus gates?

Oxford Bus Company has confirmed bus speeds in Oxford are 13% slower than in 2006. Bus gates will reduce this congestion by removing the ability for most private vehicles to go through the city centre.

A further benefit is that bus gates will also allow for safer journeys by cyclists as the roads at the allotted times will only be shared with buses rather than traffic as a whole.

Oxford City Council surveyed members of its residents’ panel last month on the impact of coronavirus and their plans to visit the city centre. When asked how they planned to travel into the city centre on their next visit, 47% of panel members said they intended to cycle, 7% planned to use the bus, 19% planned to walk, and 4% were planning on using a car.

Air pollution will also be cut in the city centre as traffic will not then become stuck in congestion. Oxford city centre has seen a historic 64% drop in air pollution as a direct result of the Coronavirus lockdown. 

In recent weeks, Oxford campaigners have been vocal in support of bus gates for Oxford as a means of addressing economic recovery for the city as it is unlocked. The University of Oxford has also expressed its support for the measure.

The temporary measure will act as one of a series to allow local bus companies to recover and support sustainable means of transport for residents, including cycling. In addition, reduced traffic will also offer all residents the prospect of cleaner air and a goal to continue it into the future.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment, Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“The temporary bus gates will form a very important part of the recovery of the transport network in Oxford and offer a series of benefits to residents. Bus journeys across the city have been slowed by increases in motor traffic over many years along with increasing air pollution.

“Bus gates give us a chance to build Oxford back better as we recover; they will help sustain the recovery of the bus operators, reduce congestion where they are located and help offer safer roads for cyclists. Residents have indicated that they want safer streets with less traffic as part of the recovery and this will be one of the steps forward to achieving this goal.”

Councillor Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council, said:

“Oxford City Council is funding the introduction of two new bus gates to cut car traffic, allow public transport to run efficiently, and free up safe space for cyclists and pedestrians. This City Council is committed to the fullest and fastest economic recovery to protect jobs—the new bus gates are key to getting Oxford moving again in a clean, green and safe way. We are closely listening to residents and acting on their desires for urgent transport changes which work for the good of every individual and Oxford itself.”

Chris Coleman, Stagecoach Oxfordshire Managing Director said:

"The introduction of these two temporary bus gates is a positive step towards more sustainable active travel patterns. Covid-19 has given us a window on what could be a positive future - one with dramatically fewer cars on our roads, safer streets, cleaner air and less damage to our environment. With less congestion slowing journey times, bus travel is an attractive mode of transport for reaching the city centre and we look forward to seeing the positive effects the two new gates will have on our services."

The gates will be implemented during temporary traffic regulation orders (TTROs), and using the additional powers and guidance issued to local authorities by the Department for Transport to assist in the delivery of emergency active travel measures and other coronavirus recovery schemes.

The Connecting Oxford transport plan between the County and City councils also includes various options for a series of new bus gates in the city centre and eastern area of the city.

The short-term implementation of these two bus gates in the city centre will be outside of this process. This means the bus gates put forward for short term implementation may differ in a number of ways from the bus gates being developed as part of Connecting Oxford.

Differences could include the number of gates, locations, times of operation, exemptions and physical layout. At the same time, these temporary bus gates will yield vital data on the impact of reduced traffic including that on air quality, cycle mobility, increased bus patronage and increased levels of walking.

Around 900 individuals, businesses and organisations across Oxford and Oxfordshire responded to a consultation on the final draft proposals for the Oxford Zero Emission Zone.

Its findings will inform a small number of amendments to the proposals that will be reflected in the final formal consultation launched this week.

The January consultation provided a range of views. As in previous consultations, some feel the scheme is unreasonably stretching, while others feel it is not sufficiently ambitious. However there was clear indication that introduction of the proposed Red Zone covering eight city centre streets, and introducing a charge for all non-compliant vehicles, would lead to a change in behaviour by most people. Only 14% said they would continue to drive in and pay the full charge. The remaining 86% said they would enter the zone in a compliant vehicle, enter outside of the charging hours, travel using bus, bike or walking, or they would not enter the zone at all.

The attitudes expressed in the consultation responses also highlighted a balance of views in agreement with the proposed charging levels, discounts, and hours of operation.

The key points of the January 2020 proposals were:

• The introduction of a charging scheme in the Red Zone between 7am-7pm, with a £10 charge for non-compliant vehicles entering the zone.
• Discounts for all blue badge holders entering the zone until at least December 2024.
• Exemptions for vehicles registered to businesses in the Red Zone until December 2024, followed by a discount until December 2030.
• A 90% discount for residents living in the zone until December 2030.
• Buses and Oxford licensed Hackney Carriages which drive within the planned Zero Emission have already agreed timelines for zero emissions fleets across Oxford and are subject to other interim emission requirements.

The formal consultation on the Red Zone ZEZ scheme will start shortly.

Both councils will be making a formal decision on implementation in the spring. If approved, the Oxford Zero Emission Zone could begin in December 2020, with a wider Green Zone, covering the rest of the city centre, proposed for introduction in 2021/22.

Proposals for the Oxford Zero Emission Zone have developed through progressive rounds of public consultation - in 2017, 2019 and 2020.

Consultation results:

The councils were looking for feedback on the level the charges are set at, whether the discounts are appropriate, the suggested hours of operation for the charging scheme, what future phases of the Zero Emission Zone should include, and when they should be implemented.A summary of the consultation results is:

Entering the Red Zone:

Respondents were asked about how they would enter the Red Zone if the Oxford Zero Emission Zone was in place.

13% said that they would enter outside of the charging hours, 13% said they would enter in a compliant zero emission vehicle, 18% would enter using a bus, bike, or by walking, 14% would pay the full charge to bring a non-compliant vehicle to the zone, 40% responded that they would not enter the zone at all.

The level the charges are set at:Respondents were asked “What are your views on the level of daily charges proposed for non-compliant vehicles?”

29% of respondents thought the proposed level of charge for non-compliant vehicles was too high, 22% thought it too low, with the largest group expressing a view believing the proposed charging level to be ‘about right’ (42%).

Are the discounts are appropriate:Respondents were asked about the proposed discounts and exemptions for businesses and residents in the Red Zone, and blue badge holders.

There was support for the proposed discounts and exemptions for vehicles registered to residents and businesses within the zone, and for Blue Badge holders which was greater in each case than opposition to that proposal.

Suggested hours of operation:Respondents were asked “What are your views on the proposed hours when charges would apply for non-compliant vehicles (7am to 7pm, every day).”15% of respondents thought that the hours of charging should cover less of the day, with 38% believing the charging period should be extended and 30% feeling the proposed hours are ‘about right.’

Future phases of the Zero Emission Zone

Members of the public were asked to provide their views on the future Green Zone of the Oxford Zero Emission Zone. This will be used to inform further work on the Green Zone, which will go to consultation in 2020.

Councillor Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford, said: “I would like to thank everyone who shared their views on the final draft proposals for the Oxford Zero Emission Zone. The responses clearly show that people would be prepared, because of the ZEZ, to change their behaviour away from driving polluting vehicles. Our Councils have listened to feedback to make the ZEZ both fair and effective."

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment, Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The proposed Zero Emission Zone is a tangible step in our work to deliver the people of Oxford a cleaner and safer environment. I would like to thank those that submitted feedback to our Councils in January and it is encouraging to find that a majority of those who replied would be willing to adapt to help reduce air pollution.”

A full summary of the consultation results for January 2020 consultation of the Oxford Zero Emission Zone is available and can be viewed online.

Notes to editors

The January consultation received 868 responses by via the online survey. In addition, approximately 40 emails (or emailed letters) were received from individuals and organisations.

Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council launched the consultation on the final draft proposals for the Oxford Zero Emission Zone on Tuesday 7 January.

The consultation will close on Friday 31 January at midnight.

Members of the public and businesses can have their say in the consultation via Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Oxford city centre businesses were invited to ask questions and share their views on proposals for the UK’s first city centre Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) at a forum held on 22nd January.

The new proposals consider the Red Zone, which covers a small area of the city centre and will start from December 2020 for all vehicles. The informal consultation is on a draft final scheme for the Red Zone, including the proposed charging and enforcement arrangements, which could begin in December 2020.

The Zero Emission Zone aims to reduce Oxford’s toxic air pollution levels, tackle the climate emergency, and improve the health of those living, working, and visiting in Oxford and beyond.

The key points of the latest proposals are:

• The introduction of a charging scheme in the Red Zone between 7am-7pm, with a £10 charge for non-compliant vehicles entering the zone.
• Discounts for all blue badge holders entering the zone until at least December 2024.
• Exemptions for vehicles registered to businesses in the Red Zone until December 2024, followed by a discount until December 2030.
• A 90% discount for residents living in the zone until December 2030.
• Buses and Oxford licensed Hackney Carriages which drive within the planned Zero Emission have already agreed timelines for zero emissions fleets across Oxford.

The councils are looking for feedback on: the level the charges are set at, whether the discounts are appropriate, the suggested hours of operation for the charging scheme, what future phases of the Zero Emission Zone should include, and when they should be implemented.

Final Red Zone proposals will go out for formal consultation in March.

Councillor Tom Hayes, Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council, said: “When I talk to colleagues, community meetings, and knock on residents’ doors to pick up casework, the Zero Emission Zone regularly comes up in conversation. People have strong, reasonable, and well-judged views, but they might not share them in a formal consultation. We’re issuing one last push for Oxonians to share their views in order to make the Zero Emission Zone both fair and effective.“Are the daily charges for polluting vehicles too low or too high? Our two councils are proposing future phases of the ZEZ—should we introduce the Zero Emission Zone to the rest of the city centre sooner than 2021/22? Should that larger zone span a larger or smaller area? Should we seek to be a Zero Emission Oxford sooner or later than planned? Finally, should people living in the Red Zone pay 10% or 100% of the charge for driving their polluting vehicles? These are the burning questions we need answering. Everything you tell us gets read and listened to, and really could make all the difference.”

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment, Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Tackling air pollution and climate change is a great priority for Oxfordshire County Council. Not only will this project make a huge difference to the quality of life and health of people living and working in the city centre, we are showing that it is possible as we start to respond seriously with climate action. We can look forward to a city that will be a healthier and cleaner place for all. In doing so, we welcome the views of the public, residents and other stakeholders and ask them to submit their views on the proposals in our survey."

Some of the paths on Blandy Road had deteriorated leaving them looking shabby and potentially dangerous for pedestrians.

Following an inspection the county council decided to resurface a number of stretches in the area to join them up with places where the surface was still in good condition.

Around £18,800 was spent on the work which will hopefully mean that more extensive and expensive repairs will not be needed for years to come.

Access to Headington is a major transport improvement project which will specifically aims to improve access to major employment, health and education sites in the area.

First phase complete

The first phase of Access to Headington work at the junction of Old Road- Roosevelt Drive- Warneford Lane and Gipsy Lane was recently completed and the team will shortly move to The Slade, between Old Road and the mini roundabout at the junction of Hollow Way/Horspath Driftway. This section of work will take approximately 26 weeks to complete.

Off-road cycle lanes

This phase will focus on providing of off-road cycle lanes, side road entry treatments and improved crossing facilities on both sides of the road.

County Councillor David Nimmo smith, Cabinet member for transport, said: “There is a great deal of interest in the next stage of work and rightly so.

“Letters are going out to local people but anyone who has not seen one, or who has an interest in the work for any reason, is encouraged to come along to find out more and ask questions.”

Date and location

The exhibition will take place at the Bullingdon Community Centre on Thursday 23rd March between 2pm and 6pm. There will be an opportunity to speak to Oxfordshire County Council and their contractor about the project and also look at the scheme drawings in detail.