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JCA Notices

The cafe is back

Our popular Saturday morning cafe is running again

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Jericho Pantry

The main purpose of the Pantry is to make food that would otherwise be thrown away accessible to people who live locally who can make use of it.

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Life drawing classes

Explore your creativity -- all levels welcome. 

Local artist Mike England holds life drawing classes at the community centre.

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Join your local association

The JCA represents residents on local issues, organizes events, and runs the community centre. Membership is FREE.

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NEWS ITEM

No LTN for Jericho

Some of the attendees at the virtual meeting, including Councillor Constance (top right) and Council officer Rob Freshwater (middle left).

Walton Street barrier will come down by May 17

Posted - April 29, 2021

At a virtual meeting of the County Council on April 29, Councillor Yvonne Constance ruled that the current barrier at the southern end of Walton Street will be removed by May 17.

A proposal on a limited low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) had been rejected by 62 per cent of respondents in a recent consultation. Because of the few  options in the questionnaire, many of those rejecting that scheme did so because they thought it did not go far enough in reducing the traffic. Nevertheless, faced with this vote, the officers recommended that the barrier should be removed, so that for the time being Jericho will have no LTN at all.

The online meeting heard 14 speakers for retaining the barrier, and 12 for removal. In addition all five local councillors spoke for retention. Councillor Constance concluded: “Sadly, local opinion is absolutely divided. Those in favour of the barrier are right that in makes for a much more enjoyable neighbourhood for some people. But it imposes an unacceptable burden on others”

“I have to recognise that there is no local support for the LTN scheme. But that does mean there can’t be one.” She had been “hugely impressed by some of the speeches that urged those in different camps to recognise that there must be a way to share the burden.”  

She pointed to a rather better process of consultation in the Cowley area where the LTN that was currently being trialled had come “from the community up” rather than being imposed from the top.

Councillor Constance also noted that traffic flows through Jericho could be affected by the city centre Zero Emission Zone which will come into force in Spring 2022. Traffic through Jericho could also be reduced by the Connecting Oxford scheme, which could introduce a bus gate between Beaumont Street and Hythe Bridge Street, though that would not be until 2023/24. There had been proposals from the local councillors that the current barrier could remain in place until one of these came into force, but this option was rejected.