Broad Street is undergoing a transformative “pedestrianisation”, which will soon enter an 18-month trial period. Aiming to provide more public space for Oxford’s community, a wider pedestrian area with seating and green space will be made available.
The County Council intends it to be “accessible, welcoming”, benefitting wellbeing by providing a place for socialising, leisure, and events.
The city also moves one step closer to a greener, car-free centre through the removal of parking spaces and travel restrictions for vehicles, mainly cars. However, buses and bicycles are excluded from this and disabled parking spaces will remain available.
The temporary pedestrian area was inspired by Broad Meadow, and the Council now hopes to emulate the success of this previous scheme. Broad Meadow brought in more than 100,000 people over the course of July to October, with 90% of survey correspondents wishing to return.
This was similarly endorsed by multiple Broad Street businesses – Café Crème, Italiamo, Blackwell’s Bookshop, Crepes O Mania, and The Buttery Hotel. Oxfam’s manager Dage Loranca thinks this initiative in the heart of Oxford will have a positive impact, telling Cherwell “[it will be] an opportunity to engage with the community”. It is also hoped that the pedestrianisation will bring about a spike in sales and help to sustain independent Broad Street businesses in these gloomy economic times.
The future looks brighter for cyclists too, as the removal of constant traffic will make road conditions a lot safer. Chair of the Oxford cycle safety group Cyclox, Alison Hill, told Cherwell that “things are improving a lot”, although in the past cyclists faced a “hostile environment”.
Cyclox members, who have previously campaigned for a car-free Broad Street, are generally “really, really happy” with the results. However, Hill opposes the word “pedestrianisation”. “We don’t quite like the term” she reveals, clarifying that the phrase creates confusion over the fact that cyclists will retain access to Broad Street.
Although there seems to be a generally positive consensus about Broad Street’s future, the current construction of the pedestrianised area has led to some dissatisfaction, particularly amongst Trinity, Balliol and Exeter students, whose colleges are all connected to Broad Street.
One described the current situation as “unpredictable, with bikes everywhere”, while another expressed genuine concern about being run over by “either a car or like seven bikes from three different angles”. Numerous fences and bollards have done anything but help the situation, restricting cycle space still further. However, support for the initiative among students generally remains, with one Trinity student telling Cherwell, “the building process is a pain but I do hope they make it fully pedestrian”.
According to a Country Council spokesperson, contractors are aiming to complete the project in the week of October 24th, with plans for it to stay in place for 18 months. After this trial period, it will undergo a six-month-long consultation for review.
Councillor Liz Leffmann, leader of the Oxfordshire County Council, hopes that it will eventually become a permanent feature.
