Hollywood star's dad facing fine over anti Oxford traffic-calming measures sign
WATCH: Clinton Pugh talks to ITV News Meridian's Wesley Smith
The father of actress Florence Pugh has been threatened with a £2,500 fine after putting up a sign criticising Oxford's Low Traffic Neighbourhood scheme (LTNs).
Clinton Pugh claims the LTNs are having a negative impact on businesses and livelihoods in the city where he owns three restaurants.
Last November, he erected a billboard on the side of his restaurant Café Coco in opposition to the scheme and has now been told that he could face enforcement action as 'no advertisement consent had been sought'.
Oxford City Council also informed Mr Pugh he risked a fine of £2,500 if he did not remove it within 28 days by February 10.
The controversial LTNs have attracted huge outcry since being introduced in the city last year.
Their aim is to create neighbourhoods where 'essential' facilities are accessible by a walking distance of up to 15 minutes.
But those against the plans say they are an infringement of residents' rights and threaten the freedom of motorists, as well as affecting local businesses.
Speaking to ITV News Meridian, Mr Pugh said: "We've reached this stage at the moment on the Cowley Road that we've such huge problems with the introduction of LTNs and my belief is that the council are not listening to anybody.
"No one's bothered to ask us about our views on what was going on and what was going to happen but the reality is that is was going to cause huge destruction to this area of town so I felt the general public needed to know."
WATCH: Clinton Pugh tells ITV News Meridan he had no choice but to act
Clinton's sign read: "Welcome to Cowley Road. Oxford's most diverse and unique road, home to the largest group of independent businesses in the country.
"It is here that Oxfordshire County Council decided to roll out their ill thought out traffic experiment, undemocratically installing LTNs (road closures) and removing car parking in May 2022.
"Surprise Surprise: In a survey 95% of Cowley Road businesses said that footfall and turnover had dropped significantly since the LTNs were installed. They cannot survive without customers coming from other parts of the city and country.
"Next to come, the final nail in the coffin; bus gates and the complete segregation of Oxford, dividing Oxford into six zones with total reliance on the ring road to get from A to B.
"The County Council is pretending to listen, but this is shamefully a complete and utter lie.
"So much for democracy? Help us fight this arrogance."
In a statement, a spokesperson for Oxford City Council said: "Following a complaint from a member of the public, Oxford City Council wrote to Mr Pugh, of Café Coco, on 13 January this year about the unauthorised advertisement that is displayed on the building.
"Such an advertisement requires planning consent from the local authority. No consent has been sought for any advertisements on the side of this building. Nor does the advertisement qualify for deemed consent, a condition that applies to certain types of advertisement that do not require consent from the Council.
"The City Council has advised the owner that he was in breach of planning controls and that he should either remove the advertisement or apply to the City Council for consent. Should Mr Pugh wish to retain the advertisement, there is still time for him to make an application.
"The advert regarding the LTNs has only been displayed since around the end of November 2022 rather than the 26 years that Mr Pugh has suggested. The City Council did take successful legal action in 1995 against Mr Pugh’s company following a complaint regarding an advertisement on Café Coco, but has not received any further complaints until now."
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