Highways England has commissioned a £512,000 study to investigate building a “dedicated road link” which would run between Oxford, Milton Keynes and Cambridge. The study, due for completion in autumn 2016, is one of six strategic studies commissioned by the Department for Transport (DfT) as part of the government’s Road Investment Strategy.

An Oxford-Cambridge Expressway would likely be built through improvements on the current road network and by fi lling in the gaps within that network. A government press release noted these gaps exist “particularly between the M1 at Milton Keynes and the M40 near Oxford”.

Road Minister Andrew Jones emphasised the potential economic benefi ts of the plan. “Roads are key to our nation’s prosperity… For too long they have suffered from under investment. That is why as part of our long-term economic plan we are investing a record £15 billion in our roads programme.”

However, The Campaign for Better Transport opposes the plan in its current form. Stephen Joseph, Chief Executive, said, “It beggars belief that the government is spending such an exorbitant amount of money on a study which only focuses on a new road building scheme.

“Only in the UK do we see transport planners carry out road and rail planning independently from each other… Building big new roads is not the answer to the problem of connectivity between our towns and cities.”

Clarissa Jones, a Trinity historian from Cambridge, told Cherwell, “As a student without a car you have to travel either by train, which carries with it a very high price, or on the hellish X5.

“The best use of money, from my perspective, would be improvement of public transport between [Oxford and Cambridge] as opposed to road improvement.”

English student at Lincoln and Cambridge resident Catriona Bolt agreed, telling Cherwell, “The very idea of a direct train line between Oxford and Cambridge turns me on. A dedicated road link would also be worse for the environment than a train link.”

The DfT Road Investment Strategy highlights the possible benefits of the direct road link, outlining eight areas which the plans aim to improve. These include improving network safety, user satisfaction, and traffic flow.

In a mouth-watering coup for hardcore JRR Tolkien fans, a map of Middle Earth, the Lord of the Rings world, heavily annotated by the author himself, has been unearthed in an old edition of the series.

The book in which it was discovered was owned by Pauline Baynes, who, before her death in 2008, worked as an illustrator, most notably for C.S Lewis (author of The Chronicles of Narnia) and Tolkien. The map itself is now on display in Blackwell’s Rare Books collection at the asking price of £60,000.

Described by Blackwell’s as “an important d o c u m e n t , and perhaps the finest piece of Tolkien ephemera to emerge in the last 20 years at least,” the map served as the basis for Baynes’ map of Middle Earth, which was published by Allen & Unwin.

Tolkien’s annotations provide further evidence of his exacting creative process, and the attention to detail for which he has come to be known. Not just content with correcting place names, Tolkien even made suggestions regarding “the various f lora and fauna or vessels through which the various locations are represented”.

One particular scribble of Tolkien’s is especially attention grabbing for any Oxford student: that about the location of the small town of Hobbiton, which he wrote “is assumed to be approx. at latitude of Oxford.”

Tolkien also used Ravenna, Italy as a reference point for Minas Tirith, a famous city in the third book of the Lord of the Rings. Belgrade and Jerusalem are also alluded to when discussing Middle Earth locations.

Of note, also, are Baynes’ comments about working with Tolkien. Originally describing him as “very uncooperative,”she found that as their working relationship progressed, he came to be “in great form – first names and kissing all round – and pleased with the map.”

“He was tricky to work with, but very rewarding in the end,” said Sian Wainwright of Blackwell’s.

Understandably, many Lord of the Rings aficionados at the University were thrilled with the discovery.

Jonathan Evans, a first-year Mathematics and Philosophy student at Exeter, was more interested in the relationship the manuscript had with Oxford. “Honestly, it speaks to the storied history of Oxford,” he said. Tolkien lived and worked at the University as a Professor of Anglo-Saxon for much of his life.

Eleven Oxford academics have joined a pledge signed by 500 professors and lecturers to academically boycott Israel.

The pledge, published in the Guardian earlier this week, was titled “A commitment by UK scholars to the rights of Palestinians” and has been condemned by both the British and Israeli governments. Initially featuring 343 signatories, around 160 more academics added their names within 24 hours of publication, taking the total number past 500.

The advert states the signatories are “deeply disturbed by Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land, the intolerable human rights violations that it infl icts on all sections of the Palestinian people, and its apparent determination to resist any feasible settlement”. It also says that those who have signed will still work with Israeli academics on an individual basis but will not accept invitations to visit their academic institutions, nor attend events organised by them.

Of the signatories, eleven are Oxford academics. These are Prof. Karma Nabulsi, Dr. Walter Armbrust, Prof. Clive Holes FBA, Prof. Tariq Ramadan, Dr. Peter King, Prof. Klim McPherson, Dr. Stephanie Cronin, Bernard Sufrin, Dr. Rosalind Temple, Dr. James McDougall and Prof. Laurence Dreyfus.

Clive Holes, Professor Emeritus for the Study of the Contemporary Arab World, told Cherwell “Whilst the Israeli state presents itself on the international stage as an enlightened funder and supporter of academia, it has for many years, in its own back yard, systematically denied Palestinian academics and students many basic freedoms, such as the freedom of movement necessary to attend international academic conferences, or simply to get to lectures on time.

“This boycott is not aimed at individual Israeli academics, with whom, like many other signatories to the Commitment published in the Guardian, I have close working relationships which will continue. It is aimed at the institutions of the Israeli state, including its universities, some of which are actively engaged in developing the government’s machinery of Palestinian oppression… We have had decades upon decades of wellmeaning calls for ‘dialogue’ and ‘building bridges’, to repeat JK Rowling’s tired and ultimately empty phrases, and it has led precisely nowhere. The Israeli government isn’t listening. Time for action.”

Dr James McDougall, Professor of Modern History at Trinity College, said, “I was for a long time sceptical as to the value of a boycott campaign, given that it risks playing into the hands of those very infl uential constituencies in Israel whose position has always been that Israel cannot count on the outside world and can only be secure by constantly escalating its military dominance in the region and over its Palestinian neighbours. But the unprecedented ferocity of last year’s assault on Gaza, and the continued extreme-rightward shift of Israeli politics, making a viable peace settlement ever less likely, convinced me that there is nothing left to lose in that respect.

“This is the only means of responsible, nonviolent protest which we as academics engaged in the region can use to bring pressure to bear on Israel’s political establishment, and the fact that the Israeli right has identified BDS as such a threat suggests that it might even achieve something.

“People calling themselves friends of Israel will doubtless oppose this – but they should realise that this is a stand against the ever-increasing militarisation of Israeli society, against the continuing refusal by Israel’s government to pursue a just and lasting settlement by which Israel can live in peace and security, against the increasingly unsustainable, blind and destructive policy of the Israeli right that is leading its country down the road of ever-deepening confl ict. I have friends, colleagues and former students in Israel, whom I shall continue to support and with whom I shall continue to work, in their individual capacities; the commitment to Palestinian rights is also about their future.”

Klim McPherson, visiting professor of public health epidemiology at Oxford University and Fellow of New College, told Cherwell, “Israel is, in my opinion, the closest country politically to South Africa before Mandela was President. I visited there in the 1960s. The hostility towards the Palestinians from Israel since 1948 is palpable and the occupation of their territory mostly illegal. I think that one’s relationship with Israeli academics is a matter for personal choice. But when I went to Ramallah to visit some Jewish colleagues working there I tried to see and visit some Israeli colleagues on the way – who I had worked with in Oxford. I was ignored and failed to arrange any successful meeting.

“I felt boycotted myself then by my colleagues in Israel. I think the way forward is to try to build any academic links possible between the West Bank and Israel and to stop the ludicrous occupation by Israel of Palestine. Once that can happen then a solution becomes possible.”

Universities UK, the representative organisation for the UK’s universities, maintains their opposition towards academic boycotts which they announced in June. They stated, “The board of Universities UK is committed to the free exchange of ideas between universities and between academics, regardless of nationality or location. The board therefore fi rmly opposes academic boycotts on the basis that they are inimical to academic freedom, including the freedom of academics to collaborate with other academics.

“Given the reported perception in Israel that UK universities support an academic boycott, the board of Universities UK wishes to confi rm its previously stated position that it is fi rmly opposed to any academic boycott of Israeli universities. The board also confi rms its view that all universities must uphold, in the interests of free expression of ideas, the fundamental right of academics to question national and international policies.”

Cherwell understands that the position of the signatories to the pledge has no impact on students and there is no reason for students to not continue to be able to work or study in Israel. Israeli academics and students will also continue to be welcome at Oxford University.

The vicar of St Giles’ Church has warned of legal action against the homeless who sleep in the churchyard at night.

In a letter addressed “the Rough Sleepers of St Giles’” Revd. Canon Dr Andrew Bunch asked the homeless to leave, or the Church, which is named in honour of St Giles (c.650- c.710), patron saint of beggars and the poor, would “seek out a court order of your eviction from the churchyard.”

Reverend Canon Bunch told Cherwell, “From time to time, people have slept in the churchyard overnight and this has caused no problems. However, issues do arise when people take up residence in the churchyard for more than a couple of days, especially when they set up camp (…) We receive reports of needles being found and sometimes the memorials in the churchyard have been displaced.

“As a consequence the level of complaints from the general public increases and people feel uneasy about using the churchyard or walking through it in the evening.

“This October, all of these considerations caused us to request that those camping in the churchyard should leave. They refused to do so and thus we started the process of seeking an eviction order.

“In the end this was not required as the churchyard is closed for burials and thus the care and maintenance of the churchyard has become the responsibility of the local Council. Once this was confirmed by our lawyers, the Council moved the rough sleepers away from the site.”

Oxford City Council was unwilling to comment on this specific case, but maintains that the Council is “committed to reducing the number of individuals sleeping rough.” On its website, the Council states that, according to the last official count in November 2014, 26 people were living on the streets in Oxford. The Council works with St Mungo’s Broadway to deliver services to those rough sleeping, and provides three homelessness hostels in Oxford with a total of 169 beds.

A formerly homeless person in Oxford, who wished to remain anonymous, told Cherwell that the homeless people camping at St Giles’ church were reluctant to use the hostels provided by councils because of the enforcement of a midnight curfew. The curfew, the source claimed, was unpopular with those sleeping in the churchyard because it meant that the homeless were not able to beg from students returning from a night out. St Giles’ churchyard was a convenient location to access students. Unfortunately those using the St Giles’ churchyard could not be contacted for comment.

When asked about Reverend Canon Bunch’s threat of legal action, Graham, a Big Issue seller on Broad Street, told Cherwell, “I can see the problem if there are children using the nursery next door, and if the homeless are being offensive. It’s hard because sometimes a few homeless people are offensive and then make the rest of us look bad (…) But I feel like more could be done to help the homeless in Oxford in general.”

In defence of St Giles’ record on homelessness, Revd. Bunch added, “St Giles’ has worked with the issue of homelessness in our city for many years. In the 1980s, St Giles’ was the location for the start of the Gatehouse, a charity for the homeless. Since that time we have hosted the work of the Salvation Army Outreach Team, a shower project, Aspire, the Big Issue sellers and, in the last couple of years, The Gatehouse. During this time we have undertaken many works in St Giles’ Parish Rooms to support the operation of these charities working with homeless people.

“Working with homeless people has been and remains an ongoing issue at St Giles’. We aim to encourage mutual respect between homeless people and other members of society and eliminate issues that can alienate anyone from our neighbourhood.”

For the second year in a row, The Bridge Nightclub has hosted a controversial club night called ‘Midget Night Bridge’ in its usual ‘Monday Night Bridge’ slot.

The Oxford Brookes night, which took place on Monday, was marketed with a Facebook banner featuring two men of short stature dressed up as superheroes.

“Back from popular demand” according to its Facebook marketing, the event description refers to “our very loved SUPERMAN and BATMAN mini men coming down for the rescue”. 297 people had confi rmed their attendance on the Facebook event by Monday night, including many Oxford University students.

The president of Oxford Brookes Student Union, Andy Pedersen, told Cherwell, “At Brookes Union we are disappointed to hear that the off ensively labelled ‘Midget Night Bridge’ event was held again this year.

“We would take this opportunity to clarify that neither Brookes Union, nor Oxford Brookes University has any involvement in this event, nor are we affi liated with the venue.”

Lindsay Lee, Disabled Students Offi cer for OUSU, stated, “Events like this are a modern manifestation of a centuriesold global tradition of the ‘freak show,’ where disabled people are put on display, used as play-things, mocked and derided for the pleasure of people without disabilities.

“This event further stigmatises disability and does nothing to break down the barriers that disabled people face in all parts of society.’’

National outrage was also invoked by the controversial club night. A spokesperson for the Restricted Growth Association (RGA) told Cherwell, ‘‘The term ‘midget’ is considered to be highly off ensive and should not be used in any context.

‘‘We were surprised and saddened to learn some students seem to think abuse towards people with dwarfi sm is acceptable. We would sincerely hope these views are not representative of the rest of the student body.”

The Bridge is yet to respond to Cherwell’s request for comment.