Notices, Articles and Newsletters

Low Carbon West Oxford has contributed to the campaign for the redevelopment of the Oxford Station area. This generational opportunity to create an integrated and well-functioning transport hub will be vital in supporting the increased railway capacity.

Following years of disruption caused by the construction of new and replacement bridges for the East West Rail project and the Cowley branch line, a new station area will now be developed. The original plans included a transport and bus hub designed to encourage interchange between different forms of transport.

LCWO supports the use of less polluting forms of transport, such as cycling and electric buses, as the primary ways for people to travel to and from the station, and onwards into Oxford and the surrounding areas. Improved pedestrian and cycling access from West Oxford to Frideswide Square will also contribute to this aim.

However, a recent architects’ brief for the new station did not appear to include sufficient space or facilities for the transport interchange that had previously been expected. Oxfordshire for Buses (Ox4B) has led the campaign, supported by Low Carbon Oxford North, to highlight the need for an integrated transport hub:

Low Carbon Oxford North – Oxfordshire for Buses

Many people have already signed the petition, and we have contributed to a video that will form part of a stakeholder presentation on the station redevelopment:

See the Campaign Video here.

Please continue to support the campaign! We will keep members informed about opportunities to get involved.

Dogs enrich our lives in countless ways. They offer companionship, help reduce loneliness and stress, and encourage us to be more active. Research has also suggested that sharing our homes with dogs may increase our exposure to a wider range of beneficial microbes, contributing to a healthy and diverse microbiome. Perhaps one of the greatest gifts dogs give us is a reason to spend time outdoors.

The many benefits of dog ownership are clear, but like most aspects of modern life, caring for our pets has an environmental impact. Pet food, particularly meat-based diets, contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and resource use. As awareness of the climate and nature emergencies grows, more dog owners are asking how they can reduce their pets' environmental pawprint while still providing a healthy and nutritious diet.

This article from The Guardian explores the climate impact of dog food and highlights some of the choices available to owners who want to care for both their pets and the planet.

A new study from the Universities of Edinburgh and Exeter has found that commercial dog food contributes around 1% of the UK's total greenhouse gas emissions. By analysing almost 1,000 dog food products, researchers identified major differences in environmental impact, with some foods generating up to 65 times more emissions than others.

The highest-emission products were typically wet, raw or grain-free foods containing large amounts of prime meat. In contrast, standard dry foods and products using nutritious meat by-products generally had a lower carbon footprint.

The research highlights an often-overlooked aspect of household emissions and suggests that environmentally conscious pet owners can make a difference through informed choices. While maintaining a healthy diet for pets remains the priority, selecting foods that rely less on prime meat and supporting clearer product labelling could help reduce the environmental impact of pet ownership.

As with many climate challenges, small changes made by large numbers of people can contribute to meaningful reductions in emissions.

Our Winter newsletter was published as West Oxford experienced the third consecutive year in which flooding was a major concern, with the floodplain full of water for several weeks and an expectation that this will continue for some time. This has been the long-term prediction of the effects of climate change: warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers, as we have just experienced. Recent news coverage of this impact can be found in “Are wetter winters and frequent flooding here to stay?” www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cvgjw0kpd89o

It remains important that there is a continued drive to live in a more sustainable way and to take actions wherever possible, at the national, local, and personal levels. LCWO continues to try to be involved in all these areas, supporting people to make changes which will help the overall position.

It is heartening to read “Cotswolds to benefit from £100 million flooding scheme” www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/25844236.cotswolds-benefit-100-million-flooding-scheme/. The scheme, over a 20-year period, will involve work on intensive flooding, soil erosion, declining water quality and biodiversity loss across more than 3,000 hectares of land. This North Cotswold scheme will not only help in the local area but also downstream.

UK Joins European Offshore Wind Farm

The UK and nine other European countries have agreed to accelerate the rollout of offshore windfarms in the 2030s and build a power grid in the North Sea, in a landmark pact to turn the ageing oil basin into a “clean energy reservoir”.

They will build windfarms at sea that directly connect to various countries through high-voltage subsea cables, under plans that are expected to provide 100 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind power, or enough electricity capacity to power 143m homes.

Energy UK, the sector’s trade association in Britain, said it fully backed the “landmark efforts … to transform the North Sea into a truly regional clean power hub”.

Jane Cooper, the deputy chief executive of the trade body RenewableUK, said: “We will share infrastructure and data to enable clean power to flow more efficiently between our nations, and further integrate our electricity markets to drive down costs for billpayers.” 

From The Guardian
www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/26/uk-among-10-countries-to-build-100gw-wind-power-grid-in-north-sea

Following up on our ideas about sustainable travel, we would like to share two important initiatives — both directly linked to improving Active Travel in Oxfordshire and beyond. One is a petition to support a bus hub at the Station, which you may wish to take part in, and another is an open letter to Cop30, for organisations, which LCWO has supported.
 

A Proper Bus Hub at Oxford Station: Sign the petition here
This petition, launched by Oxon4Buses — an informal association that champions the interests of bus users in Oxfordshire — calls for the creation of a dedicated bus hub as part of the Oxford Station redevelopment.

Network Rail has recently invited architectural tenders for redesigning the station and Beckett Street area, following the completion of the Botley Road works. This presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a comprehensive public transport interchange, aligned with Oxford City Council’s original Masterplan. A well-designed bus hub, integrated both physically and visually with the station, would transform Oxford’s fragmented transport system — connecting routes across the city, county, and beyond.

This is Network Rail’s chance to leave a lasting legacy: a joined-up transport hub that enables seamless travel by rail, bus, cycling, and walking.

Please consider adding your name to the petition to show your support for better, more connected public transport in Oxford.
 

PATH COP30 Open Letter: Read the letter here
LCWO has signed the PATH COP30 Open Letter, joining more than 100 organisations from over 40 countries in calling on national governments to make walking and cycling central to climate commitments ahead of COP30.

Enabling more people to walk and cycle safely is one of the quickest, most reliable, and affordable ways to cut transport emissions by half by 2030 — and to help meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. PATH’s research shows that while two-thirds of countries now have active travel policies, many still fall short of the ambition needed to meet this challenge.

Let's work together towards community-powered change for people and planet!