Oxford air pollution falls in LTNs and surrounding roads

Air pollution within Oxford’s Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) as well as within its boundary roads has fallen from the previous year, a report has found.

The LTNs were introduced on six roads in Cowley and East Oxford with the aim of making residential streets safer and reducing pollution, by preventing vehicles from driving through them.

Between Towns Road, Hollow Way and St Clements all saw reductions in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels from the previous year, and none of the levels measured both inside the LTNs and on the boundary roads were above the UK’s legal limit.

The figures were revealed in the city council’s latest annual Air Quality Annual Status Report, which was published on Thursday, June 19.

However, independent councillor Saj Malik, who represents Cowley on the city and county council, said the figures “meant nothing” to people that lived in his area.

He said: “I am pleased the air quality in the city is improving which is great news for some part of the city, however in my Cowley division people will dispute about air quality improvement.

“This is the same issue for the people on the Oxford [Cowley] Road, who can't open their windows because of car fumes from stand-still traffic.

“Lastly, ask the people of Hollow Way who also suffer all day with a bad air.

“This is all thanks to the implementation of the undemocratic LTNs.

“We want a policy which is fair across the board.”

Green councillor Emily Kerr, who represents Bartlemas on the county council and St Mary’s on the city council, praised the findings of the report.

She said: “I’m delighted to see that yet again Oxford’s air quality has seen significant improvements, including in and around the LTN areas.

“We know that cars are the most significant form of air pollution, and every journey that is switched away from cars to our fabulous new electric buses or bikes or walking or e-scooters benefits everyone in the city.

“There’s no safe limit to air pollution, so we need everyone to keep driving it down in the city, by taking the actions above - and by reducing residential wood-burning during winter time.”

The report examines air pollution levels across 118 locations in the city from January to December 2024.

St Clements, historically one of Oxford’s most polluted roads, was the only location that had NO2 levels above the city’s local annual target, despite showing notable reductions over the past year.

Hollow Way has met Oxford’s local air quality target for the first time.

In 2024, overall NO2 levels in Oxford decreased by 10 per cent on average compared to the previous year.

LTNs were put in place on Crescent Road, Littlehay Road and Littlemore Road in Cowley, as well as Divinity Road, James Street and Magdalen Road in East Oxford.

The LTNs in Cowley and East Oxford were made permanent in July 2022 and October 2023 respectively.