Florence Pugh's father goes to war over Lower Traffic neighbourhood: Restaurateur unveils billboard with angry message for council after LTN stopped shoppers visiting local shops

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Florence Pugh's father has gone to war over a controversial traffic calming measure in his hometown.

Restaurateur Clinton Pugh unveiled a billboard on Cowley Road in Oxfordshire challenging the councils move to transform the area into a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN).

The 'ill thought out traffic experiment', the billboard says, was installed in May 2022 on Oxford's 'most diverse and unique road'. 

But in a survey, 95 per cent of Cowley Road businesses said that footfall and turnover had dropped significantly since the LTNs were installed, it argues. 

Florence Pugh's father has gone to war over a controversial traffic calming measure in his hometown

Restaurateur Clinton Pugh unveiled a billboard on Cowley Road in Oxfordshire challenging the councils move to transform the area into a Low Traffic Neighbourhood (LTN)

As part of the LTN transformation, there were road closures to block cars from getting through and the removal of car parking spaces.  

Now Clinton Pugh, who owns Café Tarifa, on Cowley Road, has posed in front of the sign to protest Oxfordshire Council's decision. 

The banner reads: 'Welcome to Cowley Road. Oxford's most diverse and unique road, home to the largest group of independent businesses in the country. 

'It is here that Oxfordshire County Council decided to roll out their ill thought out traffic experiment, undemocratically installing LTNs (road closures) and removing car parking in May 2022.

The 'ill thought out traffic experiment', the billboard says, was installed in May 2022 on Oxford's 'most diverse and unique road'

As part of the LTN transformation, there were road closures to block cars from getting through and the removal of car parking spaces

Now Clinton Pugh, who owns Café Tarifa, on Cowley Road, has posed in front of the sign to protest Oxfordshire Council's decision

'Surprise Surprise: In a survey 95% of Cowley Road businesses said that footfall and turnover had dropped significantly since the LTNs were installed. They cannot survive without customers coming from other parts of the city and country.

The County Council is pretending to listen, but this is shamefully a complete and utter lie.'

The introduction of LTNs has been blasted across many parts of Oxford.

Last night, vandals in Oxford were caught on camera as they turned to arson in a night time attack - setting fire to a bollard in a low traffic neighbourhood which restricts traffic to motorists. 

Drivers destroyed 20 bollards over less than three weeks - with vans and cars driving over the barriers, one vandal ripping a bollard out of the ground and walking it off with it.

A vandal set the bollard alight after 11pm on a Sunday night in July on Howard Street in east Oxford.

Video footage from local residents shows drivers deliberately destroying barriers put up for the low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) including a DPD delivery driver, a taxi and several vans and cars.

Local taxpayers have now had to pay £100,000 to replace the destroyed plastic bollards with steel ones to thwart potential vandals as Oxfordshire County Council condemned the 'unprecedented levels of vandalism'. 

In another blow for Oxfordshire locals, it was also announced that residents in Oxford may need permits to drive across the city centre, if the council plans get the go-ahead.

Under the proposal, which will be decided upon next month, households would be issued with permits allowing them to drive across the city on 100 days a year per vehicle. Up to three permits will be issued to each household, with one licence per person.

The scheme will be policed by ANPR cameras at ‘traffic filter’ locations across the city. Exemptions would be issued for buses, delivery vans, HGVs, motorbikes and mopeds. A £70 penalty would be charged to drivers without permits.

Duncan Enright, a county councillor leading the policy, said it was designed to cut local traffic and improve public transport journey times.

At the end of the trial, which could be extended up to a maximum of 18 months, Oxfordshire County Council will make a decision over whether to make the traffic filters permanent.

The introduction of LTNs has been blasted across many parts of Oxford. Last night, vandals in Oxford were caught on camera as they turned to arson in a night time attack - setting fire to a bollard in a low traffic neighbourhood which restricts traffic to motorists 

The restrictions, due to be introduced in August, will take effect between 7am and 7pm seven days a week in four of the six camera locations, but not on Sundays in the other two.

In April, Oxfordshire was branded Britain's 'wokest' county by critics, after its Lib Dem coalition council introduced a series of controversial new policies.

Since clinching power in May last year, the Lib Dem/Green/Labour alliance has introduced a ban on meat at council meetings and backed controversial traffic schemes prioritising cyclists - despite heavy opposition from residents.