Golf club in Oxford responds to new LTNs – by encouraging members to cycle there

A golf club in Oxford has responded to LTNs put in place in the east of the city in the past year or so by encouraging members to cycle to and from their rounds there.

The Oxford Mail reports that Oxford Golf Club, located on Hill Top Road in Cowley, has installed a secure storage unit so that golfers can leave their clubs and trolleys there between rounds.

Besides the storage unit, which will have sufficient capacity for up to 84 players to leave their equipment, there will also be a rail for cycling golfers to secure their bikes to, says the newspaper.

Known until 2014 as Southfield Golf Club, the club claims to be one of the oldest in England and its present 18-hole course celebrates its centenary this year.

General manager Steve Greenwood commented: “Our storage unit allows members to securely and safely leave heavy playing equipment on site, unlocking an option for them to leave their vehicles at home and travel on public transport, by foot or by bicycle.”

He added: “We understand LTNs have divided opinion in Cowley and across the city. However, we are prepared to listen to our members and residents to minimise any potential disruption locally.”

That “divided opinion” referred to by Mr Greenwood includes anti-LTN protesters vandalising planters and bollards – including setting one of the latter on fire – although Oxfordshire County Council, which is responsible for the city’s roads, has pledged to make such schemes permanent.

> Council stands firm against vandals and votes to keep low-traffic neighbourhoods

Nevertheless, vandalism has continued – and as we reported on the live blog this morning, some Oxford residents on favour of LTNs are now even acting as “human bollards” to protect them.

> Oxford residents act as “human bollards” to protect Low Traffic Neighbourhood

Posting a video to Twitter yesterday, campaign group Oxfordshire Liveable Streets said that the intervention, which happened at a location where anti-LTN protesters had removed a bollard, had been made to “protect cyclists, pedestrians and children from drivers who flout the rules, and vandals who have destroyed the physical bollards.”

WATCH: ordinary residents in #Oxford are now acting as 'human bollards' to protect cyclists, pedestrians and children from drivers who flout the rules, and vandals who have destroyed the physical bollards. Extraordinary, really. pic.twitter.com/UEEdWYRw1l

— Oxfordshire Liveable Streets (@OxLivSts) October 19, 2022