Streets suffer 'visual chaos'

From the archive, first published Saturday 18th Feb 2006.

Traffic signs which obscure views, obtrusive posts on pavements and ugly street furniture are creating "visual chaos" in Oxford's historic city centre.

Oxford Civic Society has produced a booklet highlighting some of the worst eyesores in a bid to smarten up the city's streets.

It comes after Oxford was featured in English Heritage's Save Our Streets campaign showing how England's historic streets were being ruined by clutter.

Almost a third of the pictures highlighting "visual chaos diminishing the quality of our lives" were taken in the city centre.

The Central Oxford Signage Review, which has been sent to the 900 members of the Civic Society, city and county councillors and council officers, also pinpoints problem areas and suggests ways forward.

Written by Ros Weatherall and Paul Cullen, members of the Civic Society, it says: "The overall impression is untidy and not worthy of a city with a worldwide reputation for beautiful buildings and a high quality of life."

The booklet highlights what the pressure group believes is wrong with the streetscape in Oxford.

This includes too many poles at the entry from New Road to Queen Street; a traffic sign in Hythe Bridge Street which screens the view from the railway station towards the city centre and telephone boxes and kiosks which cause obstructions for pedestrians.

The booklet also criticises hanging baskets, which obscure views of historic buildings and signs.

It says: "Although pretty, they often add to the visual clutter in the city centre. "Their locations need to be reviewed so they co-ordinate with signage and poles."

The review urges the city council to introduce its ambitious public realm strategy, a blueprint for how the city centre could look in years to come.

It says: "The public realm strategy was commissioned for the OX1 area, but most Oxford residents live outside the central area, and also deserve a tidier city.

"Many of the problems are repeated in areas such as Headington, Cowley, Botley and Summertown."

It called for wider public consultation to find out if the strategy could be applied to the whole city.

City council spokesman Louisa Dean welcomed the Civic Society report.

She said: "The city council, in partnership, with the county council has embarked upon a review of the public realm strategy with a view to updating it, but also assessing whether it should broaden the scope of the current document to include things such as signage and other considerations."

Richard Dix, the county council's assistant head of transport, said all signs were provided for a good reason.

But often there was not much freedom about where to put them. He said: "This is because of the rules that apply to road signs as well as practical considerations to do with the street layout and what is buried within.

"But the county council accepts that there is something in the Civic Society's views. Our plan is to rationalise signs where we can, when we're doing other large works on a street."

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