Oxford: Westgate area - proposed Taxi access amendment

We're asking for your views on the proposal to remove the existing ‘Prohibition of Motor Vehicles’ restriction on Taxis & Licensed Private Hire Vehicles between the hours of 7pm and 7am in & around the Westgate shopping centre in Oxford, to allow for ’24-hour’ access on Norfolk Street & Speedwell Street.

An ETRO was agreed to allow Hackney Carriage Vehicles (HCVs) and Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) to use the bus link (without pick up/drop off) between 7am-7pm, which was subsequently made permanent. Since then OCC have had very few (if any) complaints about the impact on the flow of buses and safety for cyclists and pedestrians.

Taxis form part of the public transport options within the city centre, therefore Officers consider it reasonable to allow Taxis access through the bus link 24 hours a day, in order to help improve their operating efficiencies across the day.

Have your say.

Please read the detailed information provided on this consultation and take the time to complete the survey as your views and opinions matter. Your response should be completed and returned by 9am on Monday 22 July 2024.

Whilst we will endeavor to answer simple queries during the course of the consultation, any more complex questions/issues will be appraised and dealt with as part of consultation process.

What happens next?

The County Council will review the responses and if necessary (i.e. if objections are received) prepare a report to be presented to the Cabinet Member for Highway Management at a meeting scheduled for later in 2024. This will be public meeting at which members of the public may apply to speak. The agenda and reports for meetings will be made available on the Oxfordshire County Council web site about a week before the meeting (please note that occasionally it is necessary to defer reports to a later meeting, and it is therefore advisable to check the agenda ahead of attending a meeting). The Forward Plan of decisions meetings can be viewed here.