Proposed by Councillor Wolff, seconded by Councillor Simmons

Green member motion

Council notes the well-attended meeting on climate change held on 12th January 2018 at the Wesley Memorial Church organised by local campaigning groups and addressed by, amongst others, Oxford’s two MPs.

Council notes the concern expressed by one of the expert speakers, and in public questions, over the planned Oxford-Cambridge Expressway road, as well as the proposed expansion of the Oxford Airport, both incompatible with achieving climate change goals.

This Council believes that the planned Oxford/Cambridge corridor housing can, and must, be built sustainably including the provision of local facilities and public transport without encouraging car dependency. With respect to the airport, the capacity increases this will deliver, including the encouraging of disproportionately damaging short trips by air, will only lead to a net increase in transport emissions.

This Council has stated its commitment to climate change reduction on several occasions and recognises that all levels of Government must play their part in tackling climate change.

This Council therefore wishes to state its opposition to the Oxford Cambridge Expressway road plans and the expansion of Oxford airport and asks the Leader of the Council to write to the relevant ministers and Oxford’s MPs informing them of these views.

This motion was not taken because the time for discussing motions had elapsed.