THE OXFORD PAPER Out Thursday, November 16, 2017 No.66
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Your guide for your leisure time in & around Oxfordshire
Full of beans as panto season starts Join Jack as he climbs the beanstalk at Oxford Playhous e
Cyclists launch charter in Bruce and Wayne move to Christmas at Blenheim Page 8 first night Page 32 Claudia’s name Page 5 new ‘bat cave’
Good Kreif! Canadian singer-songwriter hits Oxford
Chancellor asked to tackle air pollution in the Budget By Samantha McGregor THE Oxford City Council leader has sent a letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer urging him to tackle air pollution in Oxford. Bob Price wants Philip Hammond to get tough on polluting vehicles and implement “bold national policy changes to diesel taxation” in the autumn budget on Wednesday. He called for Mr Hammond to increase vehicle excise duty on new diesel vehicles from April 2018, and then use the money raised to help fund a diesel scrappage scheme for those on low incomes. A scrappage scheme would compensate drivers for replacing their diesel vehicle with a more environmentally-friendly version. It comes as the city and county council launched a consultation on proposals to introduce the world’s first Zero Emission Zone in Oxford. If approved, the zone would be phased in between 2020 and 2035, and would cut nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels by up to 74 per cent, the city council said. In his letter Cllr Price writes: “Air pollution is at crisis levels in our towns and cities. Road vehicles contribute about 80 per cent of nitrogen dioxide pollution at the roadside and diesel vehicles make up a big part of this.
“Children born this year are likely to face another 10 years of poor air quality under current plans. This could have a devastating effect on their health. “Not only is diesel harmful for our health, it’s expensive – it’s estimated that air pollution is costing the Treasury around £20bn a year. “I urge you to use this budget to put in place bold fiscal policies that will help tackle this health crisis.” Mr Price said that, despite a 36.9 per cent reduction in NO2 levels across Oxford in the last decade, parts of the city centre were still failing to meet legal targets on the harmful pollutant. The Green party’s transport spokesman Cllr Dick Wolff backed the move saying the council had already committed to enforcing EU air quality limits post-Brexit. But he added: “The government will find it difficult to take the city council seriously when they are increasing the number of car parking spaces in the most polluted part of the city and dropping parking charges.” In June, the city council lobbied the government for more funding and powers to tackle air pollution in Oxford. It has already received grants of £1.3m to install electric charging points for taxis and residents across the city.
New square marks link between cities
OXFORD’S newest square, named after the city’s longest-standing twinning link, has been officially opened with music and dance. Leiden Square, in the new £440m Westgate Centre, was unveiled by the Lord Mayor of Oxford, Councillor Jean Fooks, and the Burgemeester of Leiden, Henri Lenferink, on Saturday.
To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the twinning link between Leiden and Oxford a mosaic has been created in the square by artists group Klick. Mrs Fooks said: “It’s lovely to have this recognition of the link at a time when it’s important to maintain a close relationship with our twin cities in Europe.”
Mr Lenferink said: “I am proud of the ties that Oxford and Leiden have had for 70 years now, and this wonderful occasion makes me very happy.” John Chipperfield, chairman of the Oxford Leiden Link, said: “We are delighted to have a prominent reminder of our twin city in the city centre.”
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