Bicyclists banned from pedestrian areas

Police have pledged to step up enforcement in pedestrian-only areas of Oxford city centre after recent spot checks found cyclists routinely flouting the ban, reports the Oxford Mail. During a police check, they stopped 95 cyclists, the equivalent of one...

Oxford rain harvesting costs too much

Oxford city council has decided to shelve plans to harvest rainwater after initial costs were estimated at £140 million. The plans would have seen rainwater stored above and below ground by households across the city. Engineer Steve Smith said; “Rainwater...

Out of reach at the Bodleian Library

Oxford’s historic Bodleian Library, home to over eight million volumes including many centuries-old rare manuscripts, papyri and books, has found itself in something of a fix. After 400 years of use ladders have been emphatically banned by the university’s health...

Toll bridge for sale

Thanks to an 18th-century British law, new owners of the historic Swinford toll bridge across the River Thames, which is used as a route into Oxford city centre during rush hour periods, can enjoy a tax-free income from it. The...

New Oxford-London rail link proposed

Chiltern Railways’ proposed new high-speed £200 million Oxford to London Marylebone rail link – Evergreen 3 – will be presented to the public for first time from 17 April. With existing rail and road links on this route already heavily...