Stephen Gower

@sjgower

Oxford. Mostly gets around by bike.

278 Following271 Followers212 Posts

Is this your profile?Claim it and sjgower.dirty.social is yours.Claim profile

Odd, I've got an unlimited permit because of figure-skating offspring, and a 100 day permit for being a city resident. I can switch on the zatpermit website which one is "auto-redeemed" if I drive through a Congestion Charge point.

Screenshot of the Oxfordshire County Council permits app, showing a "Central permit area sports club, nurseries or military training" permit with flair to show it's "active" and "set as default congestion permit" and below that an "Oxford permit area resident" permit, with the "active" flair and a button labelled "set as auto-redeeming default"

Stephen Gower@sjgower· 1d

Minor update (v1.1) after feedback. "Four colours" now in text to aid those with colour blindness know they've found them all, and Queen's Lane has some white pixels to stop any confusion that it might be a through route. Please share this version if you have a choice (same terms as up thread).

Unofficial explanatory map of Oxford’s car traffic-filter trial, starting 28th September 2026. Oxford streets are shown as four colour-coded areas showing how each can be reached by car from the Ring Road without passing through a traffic filter: blue from the north, brown/orange from the east, turquoise from the south, and purple from the west. Matching coloured arrows show the appropriate Ring Road approaches. Six traffic filters are marked: Hollow Way and Marston Ferry Road operate 7–9am and 3–6pm Monday–Saturday; St Cross Road, Hythe Bridge Street, Thames Street and St Clement’s operate 7am–7pm daily. It is noted that Traffic filter (TF) permits do not apply to other filters such as High Street or those in East Oxford/Cowley. A QR code and text links to full details at https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/trafficfilters

Stephen Gower@sjgower· 2d

I've updated my previous work to make an unofficial map to help explain Oxford's traffic filters, due to start on 28th September. Please share if useful, but not for republication in news media, advertising or political/campaign material without further approval from me.

Unofficial explanatory map of Oxford’s car traffic-filter trial, starting 28 September 2026. Oxford streets are shown four colour-coded areas showing how each can be reached by car from the Ring Road without passing through a traffic filter: blue from the north, brown/orange from the east, turquoise from the south, and purple from the west. Matching coloured arrows show the appropriate Ring Road approaches. Six traffic filters are marked: Hollow Way and Marston Ferry Road operate 7–9am and 3–6pm Monday–Saturday; St Cross Road, Hythe Bridge Street, Thames Street and St Clement’s operate 7am–7pm daily. It is noted that Traffic filter (TF) permits do not apply to other filters such as High Street or those in East Oxford/Cowley. A QR code and text links to full details at https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/trafficfilters

Stephen Gower@sjgower· 9d

I liked the excuse of taking our colander to the park to meet up with other people who had done the same. A bit like dog walking without needing the dog.

Shadows of three colendars and a steamer basket on a large sheet of paper being held upright in the park. The individual holes of the colendars (and steamer) show the crescent shape of today's partial eclipse.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· 13d

Honourable mention to small hedge with bollards separating footway from carriageway on a residential street and big old chunks of rock protecting a grassed area.

Big bits of rock between a cobbled/paved area and a grassed area. A Citroën 2CV passes by in the background.

Wooden bollards surrounded by low hedge between carriageway and footway of a residential street in Lille. A zebra crossing is marked by taller bollards either side of the gap.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· 13d

I know it's not new news that the French are generous with their bollards, but that doesn't stop me taking lots of photos of them.

A line of bollards in Lille separates a carriageway from the wider pedestrianised area. Both sections are laid out in sets/cobbles, but the pattern changes between each.

Bollards separating a carriageway from a fully pedestrianised area.

Plastic bollards narrow the carriageway in a back street in
Lille. The space created is being used for wheelie bin storage.

A row of bollards along the edge of the pavement/sidewalk of a cobbled street in Lille

Stephen Gower@sjgower· 15d

Today I got to be driver on the Lille Metro.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· 16d

I saw red pandas today.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jul 17

Will Greater Oxford residents be limited to recycling at Redbridge? Lets hope the 3 month closure (originally set for spring 2025, now slipped to 2027) is complete before vesting day!

Map showing the shapes of the three Unitary Authorities that are expected to be made from Oxfordshire and West Berkshire, with the locations of current Household Waste Recycling Centres overlaid.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jul 10

The comment we were replying to was about "the main hospitals in Oxford". Stop moving the goalposts. Show how my statements about the main hospitals in Oxford were "plain false, on all counts". Provide references.

Screenshot of a Bluesky thread about hospital parking in Oxford. Danny Yee writes that the main Oxford hospitals have parking for perhaps only 20% of staff, and even doubling that would gridlock roads and leave many people spending hours commuting by car or bus. Glyn Tyng replies, "How did they cope before hospitals started charging for parking?" Stephen Gower responds that there were about half as many medical facilities and staff as today, and that they were not coping even then. Glyn Tyng replies, "That's just plain false, on all counts." The thread shows small numbers of likes and replies, with timestamps indicating the posts are from one day ago.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jul 9

My statement was in two parts (1) that when they introduced staff car parking charges, the main hospitals in Oxford had half the medical facilities they do now, and (2) that they were not coping with the levels of demand back then. Your statement was that both parts of that were false.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Apr 10

I think this (shared to public Facebook groups by Cllr Linda Smith in March) is the list of measures.

Table titled “East Oxford Active Neighbourhoods – Measures to be delivered.” It lists intervention types and proposed measures in two side-by-side columns. Categories include Junction improvements, Improved off-road cycle routes, Side road crossings, Crossing, Placemaking Improvements, Street Improvements, Area-wide measures, Lighting improvements, and School Street measures. Each category contains multiple road names and locations (e.g., Cowley Rd, Iffley Rd, Magdalen Rd). Some entries are in red text, indicating measures that have been de-prioritised

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Mar 26

I think it's just a marketing term from one or two manufacturers, but it certainly does get used in Oxford. Here's a FB post (public, so I'm happy to share) from this morning from Cllr Ottino.

A facebook post. Group: Blackbird Leys Parish (with free speech), Poster: Simon Ottino, Text: "Brake Hill - Daffodils look beautiful and a good strategy if you want to protect the verge outside your house from getting churned up by vehicles."
Picture is of a suburban street, with grass verges between properties. The nearest verge has daffodils in flower growing up through the grass. In the foreground is an "Oxford" bollard, with a slight lean.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Mar 26

The Manchester board seems to be the standard used in Oxford, perhaps for it's heritage appeal, though there is also an Oxford bollard.

An Oxford bollard. Rectangular base, rising through a short smooth section, then the rest with horizontal ridges, tapering to the top, which is a squat pyramid.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jan 19

I just like to say STAIR LTG EMG TEST KEY SW IN MAINS RM RISER

A PIR detector, with a code label on it (DB AL 21/CCT 7L2). Directly above is another label that reads "STAIR LTG EMG TEST KEY SW IN MAINS RM RISER"

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jan 13

At the time, the cabinet member commented that when traffic filters came into use "the situation would change and be reviewed." The later decision to allow a similar bypass route through East Oxford explicitly says the exemptions will be reviewed prior to or during the trial of the traffic filters.

Text from the minutes of a meeting: "(c) Subject to approval of (b) above, approve exemptions for emergency services, waste and postal vehicles, taxi and private hire vehicles through the restrictions enforced by ANPR on Divinity Road, James Street and Magdalen Road. The use of ANPR and/or exemptions will be reviewed prior to/during the trial of the traffic filters." The last sentence has been outlined in orange.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jan 13

In June 2023, the County Council decided to replace some physical Low Traffic Neighbourhood filters with ANPR enforcement and, without prior consultation, allowed taxis to use them, creating an east–west route that bypasses the classified road network.

Street map of a part of Cowley in Oxford. Classified (A- and B- ) roads are shown in yellow, other roads in white and narrower. A red highlight marks a route taking Cornwallis Road and Littlehay Road, then Marsh Road and Crescent Road, to get from Donnington Bridge to Hollow Way, bypassing the classified-road route along the B4495 Church Cowley Road.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jan 13

The number of private hire vehicle (PHV) taxis in Oxford has risen by 60% since July 2023. (Source: www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/numb...).

A line chart titled "Licenced Taxi Vehicles in Oxford". X-axis shows dates from 08/07/023 to 20/12/2025. A purple line shows the number of Hackney Carriage Vehicles staying steady at around 110. A green line shows the number of Private Hire Vehicles starting at 637 with a steady increase until June 2024 when it plateaus (and even falling slightly) until May 2025 from where there is a much faster increase to reach 1020 by the end of the graph. A vertical blue line labelled "Uber Licenced as operator" intersects the graph in late February 2025.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jan 11

Renewing #proofofcat

Russian Blue cat with its front paws stretched towards the viewer.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jan 5

Grit Bins in Oxford (data from Feb 2024 www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/grit... )

A map of Oxford, with callouts from every grit bin giving a description of the location.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jan 5

I hadn't realised - a breach of planning regulations, I think.

22 The development shall be managed in accordance with the approved Meadowbrook College Car Park and Access Management Plan and Swan School Car Park and Access Management Plan for the lifetime of the development unless otherwise agreed in writing by
the local planning authority.

3.15 In the afternoon peak, the classes will finish at 16:45 (16:00 on Fridays) and the vehicular gate will be closed until 17:00 (16:15 on Fridays) ie until all students, that walk or cycle, leave the school site. From 17:00 (16:15 on Fridays) the vehicular access gate will be open, and parents will be able to access the school site to collect students.

The Swan School
Car Park and Access Management Plan
4479/008/R04F
Page 9

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Nov 30

How much would it cost to get the advert screen on this bus shelter, opposite the DfT in Horseferry Road, to display how long it's been since the consultation ended?

A typical modern London bus shelter, with an electronic advertising display screen built in to one end.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Oct 12

I made an infographic map. Oxford's Congestion Charge scheme (from 29th Oct) is not like most congestion charge schemes, because you can get to most streets in the city without being charged. My impression is a lot of people haven't realised this.

A street map of Oxford.

Woodstock Road, Banbury Road and the streets in their immediate vicinity are coloured pink. Botley Road and streets off it are coloured green. Cowley Road, Iffley Road and Abingdon Road and streets off them are coloured blue. Streets in Marston and Headington are coloured orange. The ring road matches the colours at each junction and fades between colours as it goes around. A small area in the middle is coloured yellow, and labelled "Central Permit Area". THe Congestion Charge traffic filters are indicated by black circles circles with white segments, those white segments correspond on a 24 hour clock face with when the filter isn't operational (and the remaining black, when the filters are operational). Crosses mark other filters in the city that are enforced by ANPR but are not part of the Congestion Charge scheme.

Text at the top of the image reads "Temporary Congestion Charge for Cars in Oxford 2025-2026. Any road outside the Central Permit Area can be accessed without passing any traffic filers by using the Ring Road and selecting an approporiate exit junction (matching colours on this map)."

A key at the bottom matches the filter types, with text "Traffic Filters. Hollow Way & Marston Ferry Road 7-9am and 3-6pm. St Cross Road, Hythe Bridge Street, Thames Street and St Clements, 7am-7pm. £5 daily permit covers all Congestion Charge filters. Free Permits available. For example for residents, business use, health and car, SEND and disabilty. Congestion Charge permits do not apply for other filters, such as High Street or in East Oxford/Cowley."

Small print reads "Full details at https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/transport-and-travel" and "©@sjgower Contains OpenStreetMap data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations of highway filters are approximate and for overview purposes only. v1.3"

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Sep 8

Royal Mail will allow me to track my item, but only after delivery.

A dialogue box, headed "Track your item" with a space for "Your reference number", that has been filled in (then redacted for this screenshot) with a button that says "Track your delivery". An error message in small red text is below the box for the reference number and reads "An update will only be provided when we attempt to deliver your item".
Finally there are two links, on the left the text "Need help with your reference number?" and on the right the excellent Welsh flag and the text "Cymraeg".

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jul 13

Should the folk on the right hand side of streets like these have the same opportunity of charging as those on the left? If so, what solution is suggested?

Google Streetview image of a terraced street (Marlborough Road in Oxford). Houses on the left each have a small front yard, where those on the right open directly on to the street. The street is not wide enough for on-street parking on both sides; the right hand side has double yellow lines. Incidentally in the distance there is a van parked on the double yellow lines fully blocking the pavement.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· May 6

Second attempt. Much better geography I think, keeping the rough shape of districts & not splitting up urban areas (what was I doing with the 3 Kidlingtons last time?!) @oxfordclarion.bsky.social are welcome to use this (in 2029?) if they like. Others feel free to ask. I can even provide qgis files!

69 identically sized tessellated hexagons, each with the name of an electoral division for Oxfordshire County Council, the layout corresponding to the relative geographical locations of each. The hexagons have been coloured to reflect the winning political party for each division at the 1st May 2025 election.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· May 4

I probably should have made this template before the count and filled it in on the day. Never mind, it's ready for the next time (assuming roughly similar boundaries, which may not be the case).

69 identically sized tessellated hexagons, each with the name of an electoral division for Oxfordshire County Council, the layout (very!) roughly corresponding to the relative geographical locations of each. The hexagons have been coloured to reflect the winning political party for each division at the 1st May 2025 election.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Mar 1

Current status: In Wales.

Hills of the Brecon Beacons. In the foreground, a 20 speed limit sign that has a spray painted over it.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jan 29

It's a trap. #proofofcat

Russian Blue cat rolled over on her back, exposing a fluffy white patch on her belly.

Stephen Gower@sjgower· Jan 23

If you see this post, quote with a bridge from your gallery.