NEWS: Oxford Mail November 10, 2019
Expressway: no support for Oxford-Cambridge road from county council
It is hugely positive that Oxfordshire County Council voted
Having just passed a motion to make Oxfordshire carbon neutral by 2030, the OCC voted to oppose the expressway, however, this was not unanimous! The votes were 35 in favour, 11 against with 8 abstentions. Disappointing that not everyone is yet on-board with the case for NO expressway!
The Oxford Mail reports “‘OXFORDSHIRE does not support the expressway, wherever it is built’ is the message councillors will send to the government.
At their meeting on Tuesday, Oxfordshire’s county councillors voted in favour of a motion to send a letter to the government, announcing they would not support a proposed major road between Oxford and Cambridge.
The motion made by Labour councillor John Sanders said the planned Oxford to Cambridge Expressway ‘flies in the face of Oxfordshire’s commitment to reduce the use of the car.’”
Cllr Ian Hudspeth, Leader of OCC, said “I cannot support this motion because I think we have got to wait until we see exactly what the details are.” Missing the point that it would cause destruction wherever it goes!
Cllr Yvonne Constance “added claims that the road would encourage the creation of dormitory towns for London commuters were unfounded. She said: “It is not going anywhere near London.” Again, missing the point and inaccurate! With a housing target of 1 million new homes along the arc (confirmed again on 29th July by MP Robert Jenrick), where does she think they’re going to go? The 5th Studio report commissioned for the National Infrastructure shows >23% of the 300,000 homes identified for aspirational growth in Oxfordshire by 2050 are in fact houses for London commuters.
Both Cllr Hudspeth and Constance are thinking of the road in isolation. The Expressway is about unlocking land for housing development.
Luckily Cllrs Hudspeth and Constance views did not win out.
Unfortunately, the amendment to the expressway motion tabled by Cllr Tim Bearder to include opposition to housing stock growth rates to 2050 of 3-6 times that of ONS forecasts was voted down, but 45 to 11 votes. It seems councillors are scared not to stand up for sustainable and realistic housing growth levels.
You can see the full Oxford Mai article here.
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No Expressway Group believes there is no need for an Oxford-Cambridge Expressway, nor the over-inflated housing targets associated with it, and we will actively campaign against it and support other organisations with the same objectives.
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