West Oxfordshire district councillors have approved a joint electric vehicle infrastructure strategy, paving the way for zero-emission transport in the county.
Developed in collaboration with Oxfordshire County Council and local authority partners, the Oxfordshire Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy (OEVIS) lays out the framework to realise a countywide vision for the charging of electric vehicles (EVs).
Adoption of the Strategy is just one of a number of recent measures taken by the Council – including the appointment of a Biodiversity and Countryside Land Management Officer and investing in its first electric vehicle – to deliver against its corporate priority of: “leading the way in protecting and enhancing the environment by taking action locally on climate change and biodiversity.”
Last month the Council also approved its Climate Change Strategy 2021-25. 
With an end to sales of diesel and petrol cars set for 2030, it is expected that 25,000 battery electric vehicles will be on Oxfordshire’s roads within the next five years. 
To meet this emerging demand, the OEVIS sets an aspiration for 7.5% of all local authority managed public car park spaces to be adapted to fast or rapid electric vehicle charging points (EVCPs). 
One hundred and forty charging units, able to charge 280 cars simultaneously, are due to be rolled out across the county through the Government and private sector backed Park and Charge Oxfordshire project. Thirty-five units, servicing 70 parking bays, will be installed in West Oxfordshire later this year, contributing to the Council’s target.  On top of this, the Council is currently in the process of evaluating tenders to appointment a partner to plan and install additional EVCPs in the district, to cover a wider and more rural geographic distribution.
The changes will support residents, businesses and visitors to make low-carbon transport choices and move away from vehicles powered by polluting fossil fuels, in a bid to reduce greenhouse gases and improve air quality.
Councillor David Harvey, Cabinet Member for the Environment at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: “Bringing EVCPs to Oxfordshire is a truly collaborative project which will revolutionise how transport on our roads will look in the years to come. 
“One of the biggest barriers to people taking the plunge right now and converting to electric is the level of uncertainty about the charging options available.  Purchasing a car is a big financial commitment for the vast majority of people, so it is essential we provide the public with the right infrastructure and reassurances if we want them to make the change.
“The roll out of the new EVCPs, backed up by the new strategy, will enable residents to invest in EV with confidence, knowing they can charge their vehicle in a way which is convenient to them, fits in with their lifestyle and the amount of mileage they predict they are likely to do.”
Developing the infrastructure to support EVs is just one objective outlined in the Council’s Climate Change Strategy to decarbonise the district around the key issue of transport.  Encouraging active forms of travel, creating low-traffic neighbourhoods and piloting new technologies, which support ultra-low carbon-emission transport, are just some of the climate change mitigation measures the Council is keen to advance. 
West Oxfordshire District Council is the first authority to adopt formally the OEVIS following Oxfordshire County Council councillors’ approval of the Strategy last week; Oxfordshire’s remaining district and city councils will seek approval in April.
The Climate Change Strategy for West Oxfordshire 2021-2025 is available at: www.westoxon.gov.uk/environment/climate-action/climate-change-strategy/

​https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/about-the-council/elections-and-voting/current-and-future-elections/

A new symptom-free testing centre is being opened in Carterton from Monday 29 March to allow local residents to access symptom-free testing, otherwise known as lateral flow testing.
The site in Carterton will be hosted at Brownes Hall in the town centre and from 29 March residents will be able to book a symptom-free test as part of the county-wide testing programme.
The site, which has been set up by West Oxfordshire District Council and Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service, will be open for six days a week with full details to be posted on the Oxfordshire County Council website once the site is open. 
Any residents who work or volunteer in a role where they have close contact with people outside their home, including childminders, are eligible for the tests. They do not need to have any Covid-19 symptoms and are recommended to get tested regularly. 
Anyone who is showing symptoms should book a PCR test through the Government website at https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test. These tests are done at different testing sites across the county.
Symptom-free testing is also available through workplaces, with the four sites across Oxfordshire making the testing available to any eligible people who do not have access to workplace testing.
Eligible people can book a free rapid test and find out more via the Oxfordshire County Council website.
Councillor Michele Mead, Leader of West Oxfordshire District Council, said; “It is great we have been able to bring a new symptom-free testing centre to West Oxfordshire that will help us keep the infection rates across the area low, saving lives and protecting the NHS.
“I would urge people to make use to the symptom-free tests if they are eligible and would like to remind people to visit the county council website to book their appointment before attending. 
“Massive thanks go to the council staff and volunteers who will be running this centre along with our partners at the Oxfordshire County Council.”

Children and their local communities are set to benefit from the launch of a pilot School Streets scheme that will trial closures of roads to traffic at drop-off and pick-up times during term-time.
School Streets aim to improve road safety to help boost cycling and walking and improve air quality. They are being delivered by Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with walking and cycling charity Sustrans, backed by financial support from the government. This follows extensive engagement and designs with residents and the schools prior to the scheme launch.
Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: "We know that without safe and low-traffic environments, many children simply won’t have the confidence to cycle. School Streets are a great policy in enabling a travel revolution to improve air quality and physical activity levels of school children and their families."
Sarah Leeming, Sustrans head of delivery, said: "We’re really pleased to be supporting Oxfordshire County Council to trial the School Streets initiative.
"School Streets schemes in other parts of the country have proved beneficial for road safety and air quality. And they create a cleaner, more pleasant environment outside the school.
"In turn, School Streets increase the likelihood that children will walk or cycle to school instead of being dropped off in a car, so they get to school feeling alert and ready for a day of learning."
School Streets restrict motor vehicles (other than buses) outside schools and apply to both school and through traffic, while typically continuing to permit access for people living there.
In a six-week pilot scheme starting on 22 March, Windmill Primary and St Christopher’s Church of England primary schools in Oxford will be the first to begin the trials. These will be followed by East Oxfordshire Primary in Oxford in May.
If the trials are deemed a success by the schools, they will be extended for a further 18 months.
On roads where School Streets are trialled, orange and white cones or barriers will be placed along the road to stop cars from going through, with signs telling drivers not to park in the area to keep the children safe. Marshalls will be on hand to enable residents to access or leave their property. The restrictions will apply to school staff and all through traffic alike.
Sustrans is supporting schools across the country to deliver School Streets as part of its commitment to making it easier for people to walk and cycle.
The charity hopes that schools, local authorities and residents will see the benefits of the schemes and consider options for making them more permanent, as a number of schools across Britain already have.
For anyone interested in having a School Street, please register your interest with the council. A series of frequently asked questions on School Streets are also available on the county council’s website.
Photo: Sustrans/Paul Mitchell
URL : http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/school-streets-to-begin/

Residents in the Abingdon area and users of the nearby A34 are set to benefit from major road improvements with plans to build a new south-facing junction on the northbound lane at Lodge Hill.
The county council is now asking for the views of residents and roads users in a new online exhibition on the plans opening on 8 March until 29 March.
Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "The proposals for the new Lodge Hill exit on the northbound A34 and work in the surrounding area will offer real improvements for the quality of life of those who live and work in the Abingdon area.
"The proposed work means that those living or working in central Abingdon can look forward to much reduced congestion and that new housing has the right supporting infrastructure. I welcome residents to visit the online exhibition and to offer their views."
The aim of the improvements is to increase junction capacity, providing new access and shortening journey times. The work will include new roundabouts to improve traffic flow and reduce local congestion. It will also support new housing development and economic growth in north Abingdon and in the wider area. Traffic calming for nearby local roads is also being proposed to limit the number of vehicles travelling on country roads.
It is expected that the proposals will also reduce congestion in Abingdon and at the Marcham interchange as many vehicles will no longer need to travel through the town centre.
The delivery of appropriate and timely supporting infrastructure is key to supporting sustainable development north of Abingdon and Oxford. Since Oxfordshire County Council secured funding in 2017, it has been working on designs, surveys, stakeholder engagement and land acquisition ahead of a planning application in Spring 2021.
Recognising advice from government on COVID-19 safety, it is not possible to hold a public drop-in exhibition on the plans. Instead, the council is holding an online event to present the proposals and provide an opportunity for residents to ask questions and offer comments.
Members of the project team will be online to answer questions about the scheme using a live chat function. These sessions will be held from 2pm - 3.30pm on Monday 15 March, and 7pm - 8.30pm on Thursday 18 March. Any questions that can’t be answered straight away will be replied to within 24 hours.
People who cannot visit the webpage will still be able to share their thoughts and questions during this time. A printed summary of the exhibition material is available for those with limited access to the web and an email address and phone number have been provided below.
The exhibition will be open from Monday 8 March to Monday 29 March and can be accessed at this website.
​For any queries email: lodgehill@oxfordshire.gov.uk or call 01865 792422.
URL : http://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/exhibition-lodge-hill/

Councillors at West Oxfordshire District Council have been unanimous in passing a new Climate Change Strategy, presented at its Full Council meeting last week.
Developed following consultation with residents and businesses in 2020 and with the support of a cross-party Climate Action Working Group, the Strategy will provide a broad framework for how the Council’s climate action priorities will be achieved over the next four years.
In response to the climate and ecological crisis, the Strategy sets out five key areas of focus:

• Protecting and restoring natural ecosystems
• Energy
• Active travel and low-carbon transport
• New development standards and
• Education and engagement

These are areas the Council has identified as having the most impact in tackling climate change, reducing C02 emissions, increasing sustainability and local resilience, and enhancing the natural environment. 
Presenting the paper, Councillor David Harvey, Cabinet Member for Climate Change at West Oxfordshire District Council, said: 
“Whether at a global or local level, the window of opportunity to make a real and meaningful difference to tackle the climate and ecological emergency is shortening - so we must act. We believe this strategy reflects the urgency of the crisis at hand. 
“While our objectives are bold, we are determined to lead by example and put climate considerations at the heart of all our decision-making processes, policies and plans - not just in the five key areas identified in the Strategy - but through all council functions.
“We would like to thank those residents who took part in our climate survey last year.  Their views have provided us with a strong sense of what is important to those living and working in West Oxfordshire and helped shape our vision and strategic objectives.  We are committed to making change happen, with lasting benefits for future generations.”
The Council declared a climate and ecological emergency in 2019 and pledged to become a carbon-neutral authority by 2030. 
West Oxfordshire District Council will report annually on progress made against the Strategy’s objectives.  A copy of the Climate Change Strategy can be found at: www.westoxon.gov.uk/environment/climate-action/climate-change-strategy.  
Residents wishing to find out more about what the Council is doing to address the climate emergency can subscribe to the Council’s quarterly Climate Action Bulletin: https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/environment/climate-action/climate-action-bulletin/