County fails to back car-free day

 20th June 2006

 

At a meeting of Full County Council today (20th June),  Councillors from Conservatives, Labour and LibDems failed to support a motion from Green County Councillor Sushila Dhall (text below) to support Oxford's car-free day (also referred to as 'In Town Without My Car' Day) due to be held on 22nd September this year.

 

For more information on European Car-Free Day: http://www.mobilityweek-europe.org/

 

FMI: Cllr Sushila Dhall 01865 553415

 

Motion by Sushila Dhall

20th June 2006 - lost by 40 to 8 votes

 

“Given that:
 
(a)             Oxfordshire's latest Local Transport Plan (LTP) declares the County Council to be concerned about traffic congestion in Oxford City;
 
(b)        an Air Quality Management Action zone has been declared in Oxford City in recognition of its high levels of traffic-related air pollution, which this Council has failed to tackle effectively over the past seven years, since the inception of Oxford Transport Strategy;
 
(c)        It is stated and accepted in the LTP that “unlike in other districts, the majority of journeys to work in Oxford are not made by car”;
 
this Council resolves to support Car-Free Day in Oxford City wholeheartedly this year and in years to come in order to:
 
(a)             encourage people to think about transport choices available to them other than the private car;
 
(b)        give people a sense of the true potential of public space other than as through routes for traffic;
 
(c)             celebrate our common heritage by partying in the streets.”