Agenda item - Making Oxford a Truly Walkable City (proposed by Cllr Max Morris, seconded by Cllr Emily Kerr) (2024)

Council notes

1. Oxford was recently named as the UK’s mostwalkable city, due to the small distances between key touristattractions.[1]
2. The 2021 Census showed that 22% of Oxford residentswalk to work, making walking the modal choice for more commutingresidents than cycling at 17% or bus at 15%.[2]
3. Studies show walking significantly improves bothphysical and mental health outcomes, andpromotes longer and higher quality lives.[3]
4. Research suggests lower income households -over-represented by ‘female heads of house, children, youngand older people, black and minority ethnic (BME) and disabledpeople’ - rely on walking more often due to not owning acar.[4]
5. There are inexpensive walking-related initiativesacross Oxfordshire which have been successful, such asOxford’s health walks and Bicester Blue Lines.[5]
6. Whilst some things which improve the pedestrianexperience are County responsibilities there are others which theCity Council has sole or joint responsibility for, such as newbenches, water fountains, public toilets, andwayfinding.
7. The City Council could require residential droppedkerbs to be “Dutch style” entry kerbs, which keepspavements flat and easier for wheelchair users.
8. Mapping work in London has provided councils withexcellent dynamic local maps, allowing residents and visitors towalk more easily.[6]
9. Pavement Parking is frequently named as one of thekey issues facing pedestrians and wheelchair users. Governmentcommissioned a report into this in 2020, and despite writtenquestions and a debate, the results have not been published.[7]
10. Lambeth has pioneered an innovative “KerbsideStrategy” which prioritises walking, street trees, benches,and local businesses and will reallocate 25% of kerbside space topeople.[8]

Council believes

1. Despite Oxford being a relatively small city withstrong walking potential, the experience of walking or wheelingaround the city needs urgent improvement.
2. We could build on Oxford’s small size andstrong reputation for walking to have a cohesive strategy toimprove the pedestrian experience for everyone - and this would berelatively inexpensive to do with enormous health and wellnessbenefits.

Council resolves:

1. Torequest the Cabinet Member for Healthy Oxford:
   1. discusswith officers the designing of a plan for improving walking inOxford, based on local knowledge and existing research.
   2. Workswith the Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon and the Cabinet Member forCulture and officers to create a walkable map of Oxford fortourists and locals alike.
   3. Writes tothe new Transport Minister on behalf of Oxford City Council, urgingrapid release of the 2020 pavement parking consultation
   4. Proposesthe idea of a “Kerbside Strategy for Oxford” to theCounty Council.
2. Torequest the Cabinet Member for Finance and Asset Management reviewsopportunities to invest in public infrastructure to improve thecity’s walkability, such as benches, water fountains, publictoilets, signage, lighting, and trees.

To request the Cabinet Member for Planning reviewsmandating Dutch entry kerbs for residential drop kerb conversionsplanning conditions and considers this through the Equality Act2010.

[1]https://www.timeout.com/uk/news/the-uks-10-most-walkable-cities-have-been-revealed-052724#:~:text=Named%20the%20UK's%20most%20walkable,them%20in%20just%2022%20minutes.

[2]https://www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article/883/majority-of-oxford-residents-commute-using-active-travel-or-public-transport-new-census-data-shows

[3]https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/walking-for-health/

[4]https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5c828f80ed915d07c9e363f7/future_of_mobility_access.pdf

[5]https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/downloads/download/1154/health-routes-in-bicester

[6]https://footways.london/

[7]https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2023-03-13/debates/4479BB2C-49BD-47FD-9C76-5149A8A12DF7/PavementParking

[8]https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/streets-roads-transport/lambeth-kerbside-strategy