The London Road Study: THE FACTS

8.18.02pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 20th Oct 2005

Stephen Tall campaigning with Gail Bones and Altaf Khan

A mischievous and/or ill-informed resident has been circulating an inaccurate letter in areas of Headington and Marston, indicating that the closure of London Road to traffic is soon to be approved by the County Council. Those who've received it, and have assumed it to be true, have understandably been concerned - prompting a couple of letters to the Oxford Mail letters page. My Lib Dem County Council colleagues, Gail Bones and Altaf Khan, have written to the paper today to set the record straight, and hopefully put an end to these unfounded rumours.

Letter sent to the Oxford Mail, 19th October, 2005:

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Dear Sir,

Many residents of Headington and Marston are understandably upset. Will the London Road be closed? Will traffic be forced through Marston or Old Headington? These questions have hung over the area all summer. We, with our colleagues on the City Council, have taken a consistent line on the London Road Study. We have opposed the closure of the London Road and called for more strategic thinking on the whole issue.

But there is something that is now making residents all the more upset. Your letters pages have included correspondence from residents who have unfortunately been fed misinformation. A letter has recently gone out, not from the County or from any elected representative. It is sadly ill-informed and misleading. Let us use your pages to put the record straight:

• Closing London Road has not been approved

• The report on the London Road Study is not even completed

• Any proposal which would see the closure of London Road has been opposed and would be opposed by your LibDem councillors

• It is highly unlikely that County officers would recommend any closure given the strength of local opinion against it

• The officers' report will go to the County's Executive on 15th November but that is by no means the last occasion on which the Study will be discussed

That in plain English is the situation as it is to date.

We have tried to keep residents abreast of what is actually happening. Residents can also be assured that we will continue to stand up for them in pressing for real improvements to the situation in our area.

In the weeks before Hallowe'en and Bonfire Night, we can expect a few frights. But let's leave that to kids and see it as a bit of fun. The issue of London Road is too serious to be treated lightly.

Yours faithfully,

Gail Bones & Altaf Khan (Cllrs)

Headington & Marston Division

Oxfordshire County Council

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