Gareth Epps
@garethepps.bsky.social
Liberal Democrat county councillor for Deddington, North Oxfordshire. He/him. Campaigner for pubs.
The Tories don’t think much of their councillors, do they? I can think of some Tory councillors who are decent people, in the centre ground of politics and frankly deserve better.
Paul Bernal@paulbernal.bsky.social · 16h agoWell that's a vote of confidence for all Tory councillors.
Worth spelling out what these so-called patriots were actually up to.
Oxford Clarion@oxfordclarion.bsky.social · yesterdayLeaders of flag-raising group Raise the Colours Oxfordshire placed trackers on highway workers’ cars to find out their home addresses, the High Court has heard. RTC then attempted to intimidate the highway staff into no longer removing flags by repeating their addresses to them.
Really proud to be working on a programme that means more people get home safely than in neighbouring areas. (In spite of a police force whose record on speeding enforcement is frankly shameful)
Thirty years ago (ish), I stood John Cleese up. As time passes and he continues to piss over his own legacy, someone who I remember has hilariously sent up what he has become, my regret at this diary fuck up has shrunk to zero. I never liked Morrissey either.
150,000 marched yesterday in London for trans rights. Opened the Sky News app. Scrolled and scrolled. Nothing. BBC News app. Nothing. Guardian app. Nothing. This is what actual silencing looks like.
Have the British public always been so self centred? I’m staggered by how many people I’ve seen saying ‘I don’t use buses so what good is that?’ Or ‘pubs aren’t for me so who cares?’ Millions of people do use each and they are both pretty vital for our economy and society
This is certainly true. The drive for productivity leads to the sort of pressure where something has to give. This also impacts on volunteering and other forms of public life. Also a live issue in local government reorganisation where we risk taking decisions that exclude parents and working….
Oxford Clarion@oxfordclarion.bsky.social · 2w agoTrigger warning, parenting: An Associate Professor in Public Policy at the Blavatnik School of Government points out that modern family life depends increasingly on two full-time incomes, but there's an underlying assumption that one parent is permanently available. www.ox.ac.uk/news/2026-07...
A morning of good news on public transport (some big gains), tempered by lots of frustration about road closures. Lots of activity to try and mitigate the latter to bring about the former.
The gas works in question. Went to hear residents’ frustration this evening. We need a definitive plan and date from Network Rail for reopening. Also Oxford City Council to delay their Grandpont foot/cycleway closure for their Osney bridge - that can wait.
Read our statement in response to Network Rail’s announcement that Botley Road in Oxford will remain closed beyond the end of August – including what it means for our traffic filters trial: news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-...
Frustrating and disappointing, and I really feel for residents and businesses affected by this for so long. www.networkrailmediacentre.co.uk/news/network...
Network Rail provides update on status of Botley Road project
Network Rail has confirmed today that Botley Road in Oxford will remain closed beyond the end of August.
networkrailmediacentre.co.uk
Oxfordshire is getting more money for walking and cycling. Active travel funding for Oxfordshire County Council has been confirmed at £5.4m a year for 2026/27 to 2029/30 by the Department for Transport, £4.1m for Capital and £1.3m for Revenue items such as capability and activation programmes.
Fantastic result! Well done Rob and the team :-D This ward will be part of the new Greater Oxford council area and gives a good indication of Labour's strength outside the city.
ALDC@assoclibdemcllrs.bsky.social · 3w agoCherwell DC, Kidlington West 🔶Lib Dem (Rob Packard): 1028 ➡️Reform UK: 331 🔵Conservative: 232 🟢Green Party: 158 Lib Dem HOLD Congratulations to Rob Packard and the team on an emphatic win and hold in Cherwell!
Glass half full? Quick stop at the renamed Chequers, Steeple Aston under new #pub ownership and it’s doing very nicely. Rare sighting of Verdant Lightbulb.
Some might use stronger words than “outlier”….
safalafal (rich)@safalafal.bsky.social · 3w agoBased on the numbers from: www.gov.uk/government/n... You do have to say - Oxfordshire is a massive? outlier when it comes to numbers of councils retains compared to the 13 other counties that saw reorganisation today....
For those of us concerned that Labour has nothing but contempt for democratic views in North Oxfordshire, here’s the evidence. Not a good augur for the imminent local government reorganisation decision.
Anneliese Dodds MP@anneliesedoddsmp.bsky.social · 3w agoSee @seanlwoodcock.bsky.social 's and my letter to Andy Burnham on devolution below 👇
SUVs are higher at the front and three times more likely to kill a child when they hit them. SUV drivers drag the child under their vehicle, and then they crush the child to death. It's incredible that SUVs don't have higher tax, and why not lower speed limits. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Britain’s cars and SUVs are growing bigger – but there is a way to stop this deadly ‘carspreading’ | Christian Wolmar
Larger vehicles crowd our roads and are far more dangerous to pedestrians. Let’s curb them before they do even more damage, says says transport commentator Christian Wolmar
theguardian.com
🚨 WATCH: Nigel Farage threatens a Sky News journalist who asks about his undeclared gifts from convicted criminal George Cottrell "You harass my family anymore, there will be serious consequences"
Sepp Blatter criticising Infantino for Corruption is a bit like the devil complaining you've set the thermostat too high.
North Aston Village Fête was a delight as ever. Wellies were wanged. No photos!”
Oxford's congestion charge will be upgraded to the full "traffic filters" from 14 September. Instead of a £5 charge, a £70 fine will be levied for driving a car through the six camera points. Residents and certain other groups will continue to have a limited number of passes per year.
Hopefully Andy Burnham will learn from Steve Reed’s mistakes with regard to the Thames Valley, and give us meaningful devolution on a rational geography, not the dog’s breakfast lose-lose previously proposed.
Calum Miller@calummillerld.bsky.social · last mo.Andy Burnham is right: power should be taken out of Whitehall and put closer to communities. But real devolution means national government letting go and empowering local people, not repeating Labour’s mistakes by imposing change without consultation or consent. news.sky.com/story/politi...
We’ve published the real list of quiet lanes (as opposed to the fictional clickbait punted by some). Nothing in Deddington division to date; some enquiries but for roads that wouldn’t meet the lcriteria. However, there’ve been useful discussions about mitigating other traffic risks as a result.
Oxford Clarion@oxfordclarion.bsky.social · last mo.Nine Oxfordshire parish councils have applied for ‘quiet lanes’, where a road is closed to through motor traffic to improve safety for residents, walkers and cyclists. Each one will go through an initial assessment and design phase and then, if selected, be trialled for 6–18 months.
Or “leaders understand the need not to prejudice a criminal investigation”. The Oxford Fail hits a new low.
I’m really pleased we’re moving forward with this. I’ve had so many enquiries about issues on roads not reviewed for a while. The B4100 Souldern turn, B4030 and the scheme of the recent traffic collision at Wigginton Heath will feature.
Oxford Clarion@oxfordclarion.bsky.social · last mo.Speed limits on Oxfordshire A and B roads could change as a county-wide review gets underway. On roads where risks are identified, the speed limit could be lowered to 50mph or 40mph as part of Oxfordshire County Council’s ‘Vision Zero’ policy which seeks to eliminate deaths and serious injuries.
