People living in Oxfordshire could have more input in deciding the council’s measures to reduce congestion, but those from different sides of the political spectrum disagree on what form this should take.

Oxfordshire County Council will roll out a range of measures for managing traffic, which includes introducing traffic filters, expanding the zero emissions zone and implementing a workplace parking levy.

While councillor Eddie Reeves, leader of the Conservative group at the county council, calls for a congestion commission for experts and business owners to review current measures, Labour have proposed creating a citizens’ assembly for residents to help develop policies.

Mr Reeves proposed the motion to create a congestion commission at the full county council meeting on Tuesday, November 6, but there was not enough time to debate it.

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Labour put forward an amendment outlining that the county council had already agreed to set up a Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Transport in Central Oxfordshire as part of its last Budget, which focused on reducing congestion.

Speaking before the meeting, Labour councillor Charlie Hicks said: “Recent changes to transport in Oxford have left people feeling that decisions are being made to them rather than with them.

“Labour’s funded Congestion Citizens' Assembly is seeking to change this.

“When making changes to the transport system to make it greener and healthier, residents should be given a proper voice.

“This is about putting the public in the decision-making room alongside the politicians, to shift power from the politicians to the public.

“The assembly would be made up of people locally from all walks of life, with all range of views on transport, reflecting the public overall.

(Image: Contributed)

“Residents would be picked by an independent organisation separate to the council, so that everyone can trust that someone like them is there in the room helping to shape the policy.

“There would also be a multi-stakeholder and expert advisory group to oversee the process.

“This is a well-used democratic tool that has been used the world over to help give back control to the public on issues they care deeply about and to ensure there is proper public consent for decisions politicians make.”

However, Mr Reeves said: “No-one within 100 miles of Oxford thinks that Labour councillors seriously care about bringing local people into the conversation.

“What we need is a fresh approach informed by expert-led and evidence-based policy. A congestion commission would do just this.

“It would bring academics, policy experts and local residents, together with local private and public sector workers to develop policy.

(Image: Contributed)“It would address what the public needs, rather than the council sets by way of an exam question, which is precisely the problem with a Citizens’ Assembly.

“If a congestion commission concludes that Labour, Lib Dem and Green councillors have the right approach, they will at least have the evidence base that they currently lack to take forward to their electorates. They therefore have nothing to fear from it.

“We do not need an assembly of people to develop policy – that is what councillors are there for – what we need is evidence-based policy informed by experts and workers set to be adversely affected by the council’s current policies.”

The Labour amendment also claimed that motorists would be hit by £11.4 million per year in fines, while the original motion put this figure at £57 million.