Oxford’s Cowley and East Oxford Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) have now been in place for about five years[1]. In that time, road casualties have been reduced by over 100, air pollution has been reduced, and Cowley Road shops have outperformed national trends.
The LTNs have reduced road casualties both in the LTN areas, and on surrounding roads, by an average of just over 20 a year, over 100 since they were introduced. The Cowley LTNs are reducing casualties by 12 a year, the East Oxford LTNs by 8 a year. Most of the benefit is seen at boundary road junctions because of reduced collisions from rat-running traffic turning in or out of the residential streets, benefitting all users of these roads. The economic benefits of this since the implementation of the LTNs exceeds £8 million.
Since the LTNs were installed, air pollution has fallen within the LTNs, where homes are closest to the streets. Pollution has also reduced on boundary roads and elsewhere in the city, showing no evidence that pollution has been displaced elsewhere. Air pollution causes heart and lung diseases and stunts children’s development, so it’s vital to reduce it.
Retail vacancies (empty shops) have also reduced slightly, bucking the national trend for more closures. 12 vacancies were recorded in a 2018 survey for the Oxford Local Plan. Using the same method, three surveys since the LTNs have shown fewer shops are now empty, with only 11 vacant in September 2026. If Cowley Road had followed national trends, we would expect three more empty shops, but instead we see one fewer.
“East Oxford residents are less likely to be harmed by collision or pollution thanks to the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods. In addition, Cowley Road shops are doing better than national trends.”, said Robin Tucker, Co-Chair of CoHSAT, the Coalition for Healthy Streets and Active Travel. “The reduction in rat-running traffic means it is safer for people to walk, wheel or cycle to the shops or the bus stop. That’s visible in the data, and in the people you meet in the streets.”
Sushila Dhall, Chair of the Oxford Pedestrians Association said, “OxPA has very much welcomed the LTNs, which have made it much easier to walk, wheel and cycle in Oxford for people of all abilities, and means we can hear the birds, and see children safely playing in public spaces. The main issue we’ve seen is people parking cars and vans at the ends of LTNs on Cowley Road, which block wheelchair users from getting along the street.”
Cyclox Trustee Richard Scrase lives near an LTN, he said, “Before they put the LTN in right near where I live, we used to have people roaring up the hill late at night cutting through between Cowley Road and Holloway. That noise, often enough to disturb our sleep, has gone. When I walk to the bus there is no longer a queue of cars emitting fumes and trying to get onto Cowley Road. When I do drive, it’s easier to get onto the main road. Best of all, I see far more children cycling to school at Spires and parents taking their small children to nursery in cargo bikes”
Hannah Kirby, Chair of Headington Liveable Streets said, “These data, along with residents’ personal accounts, show the health and economic benefits of the LTNs, and how they are improving people lives. Headington is now one of the few areas of Oxford where residents are not protected from through traffic by LTNs. Plans were developed in 2022, but then shelved. We’d like this report to restart the process of delivering LTN public health benefits to the thousands of people in Headington.”
Views from residents of east Oxford show that many people value the safety that the Low Traffic Neighbourhoods have brought, and how that has improved health, community contact and independence for children.
Read the full report, including:
- Resident views
- Road Casualty reductions
- Economic benefits of casualty reduction
- Walking and cycling
- Air pollution
- Retail vacancies on Cowley Road
- Questions and Misinformation
[1] An average of five-and-a-half years for the Cowley LTNs and four-and-a-half years for the East Oxford LTNs.
Top photo: Mostro Coffee at Truck Store, next to the Rectory Road modal filter on Cowley Road
