Author: Julia Patrick
E-Car Club – new Summertown e-car can do 120-150 miles
Back in 2013 LCON partnered with E-Car Club, to provide the residents of Summertown with their very own electric car sharing scheme. This was part of a wider project to combat climate change and improve air quality in and around Oxford.
Six years later and with significantly more members using the service, we’re now delighted to announce that E-Car have launched a brand new, fully loaded Renault Zoe 40KwH to replace the vehicle previously available to the residents of Summertown. The new model, located at the Diamond Place Car Park, offers a much wider charge range of 120-150 miles. This new feature will enable users to travel longer distances without having to worry about re-charging the electric vehicle. To celebrate this, E-Car are offering new members 50% off the sign-up fee (£25 instead of £50) and £10 driving credit. To redeem this special offer, enter DIAMOND19 when prompted during sign up. You can sign up here.
Oxford Together on Climate Change – 10,000 actions for our climate
LCON is supporting Oxford Together on Climate Change (OxToCC). This is a major new initiative looking to involve as many people as possible in Oxford and across the county in taking action in their own lives to help tackle climate change (and to tackle the idea that ‘nothing I do will make a difference’. OxToCC is seeking to get people taking 10,000 actions by June.
The OxToCC website has advice and information on actions aorund four key issues – Food, Travel, Money and ‘Making Change Happen’ – please visit the site and choose what you can do. Register the action on site and it counts towards the 10,000 target.
LCON responds to the Oxford North proposal
LCON has submitted our objection to the controversial Oxford North development. You can download it here.
In summary we covered:
Energy efficiency and energy supply
We want to see this site (if it goes ahead) pioneering a zero-emission future in energy use in buildings and in transport. We have strongly objected to the idea that solar PV might be installed ‘subject to roof design’. Roofs should be designed so that they are suitable for PV panels!
Roads and transport
We have strongly objected to road layout plans. There are no safe and attractive routes into and out of the site for people who walk and cycle. Air quality legislation dictates that no development is permitted to make air quality worse within problem areas, yet this development with its predicted extra car movements will make it worse.
Employment and housing
One of the main reasons for allowing this part of the Green Belt to be built on was ‘poor housing affordability in Oxford and ….. backlog of housing needs’. We have thus objected to the lack of provision of affordable housing, particularly social rented housing.
Climate Justice – the North Oxford campaign continues
The FairPlay climate justice campaign has various events in North Oxford this month, including this performance of Haydn’s ‘Creation’. The evening is free with a charity collection. Full information on the campaign is here: http://www.climatejusticenorthoxford.org.uk/index
Roads are for people: Andrew Gilligan calls on Oxford and Oxfordshire residents to put pressure on local politicians
“Oxford is too polite.” This was one Oxford resident’s response to Andrew Gilligan’s presentation at the “Roads are for people” event, held on Tuesday 2 October in Oxford’s Town Hall and hosted by Low Carbon Oxford North (with Cyclox, the University of Oxford and Oxford Civic Society).
Over 180 people turned up to hear Andrew talk about Oxford’s congestion crisis and the need for greatly improved cycling infrastructure. The answer to Oxford’s traffic issues, he said, was “staring us in the face”. There was huge support from the room, including from local politicians Tom Hayes (city), Susanna Pressel (city and county) and Neil Fawcett (county), and on behalf of local MPs Anneliese Dodds and Layla Moran as well as Leader of the County Council Ian Hudspeth.
Andrew Gilligan’s recent report to the National Infrastructure Commission, “Running out of Road”, calls for £150m to be invested in cycling to combat unmanageable traffic volumes and create a healthier, cleaner and safer city. Specific proposals include segregated cycle lanes on arterial roads including Banbury and Botley Roads.
Andrew called on Oxford and Oxfordshire to put “pressure on the leaderships of the City and County for change”. He highlighted the importance of having someone in power whose job it is to bring about change – the equivalent of his role as Cycling Commissioner in London. And instead of being too polite, he told residents, “make yourselves a nuisance”.
Building on the success of this event, LCON will be working with other organisations to build public pressure and identify priority asks from the city and county councils.
Get Finance out of Fossil Fuels – Monday 17th public meeting
Monday, 17th Sep at 7pm — The Threshold, St Michael & All Angels Church, Lonsdale Road, OX2 7ES
Sarah Rowe, Campaigns Office for Christian Aid will give an illustrated talk entitled: “Fossil Fuel and Climate Justice. What part do the Banks Play”. The talk, which will review their work in the Big Shift Campaign with four major banks during the last year and their follow on work with HSBC, will be followed by discussion.
LCON – the latest news
North Oxford – cutting our plastic waste
Let’s Cut Our Plastics is LCON’s new programme to help people in North Oxford reduce their plastic waste. You can find out more here. We’re also in the Oxford Mail along with other groups across Oxford active on these issues in this article.
LCON Open Meeting – July 25th
LCON would like to meet you!
Like any voluntary group LCON depends on people getting involved as volunteers. And we’d like to find some more of you, who might like to move on from simply reading this newsletter to playing a more active part in greening North Oxford and cutting our carbon emissions. So we’re inviting you to come and hear about what we do and how you could be involved.
We are holding a special open meeting on Wednesday 25 July at the North Oxford Association community centre in Diamond Place, Summertown 7.30pm – 9pm. We welcome anyone with a desire to get involved and ideas for what could be done in this area. We’ll have time set aside to talk about what we are doing with local people on plastics, and we’ll discuss other issues such as air pollution, energy efficiency and whatever else you’d like to raise.
We know North Oxford has plenty of people with ideas and enthusiasm – we’d like to use some of that to make lasting change. Please do join us on the 25th.
