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By Aayushi Sharma
CLAIM
Oxfordshire, a county council in the United Kingdom, plans to test a “climate lockdown” starting in 2024.
FACT
False. Oxfordshire proposed some “traffic filters” to reduce congestion on city roads, not “climate lockdowns”.
Claim Post:
The article cited in the claim post.
WHAT THE CLAIM SAYS
In recent months, multiple social media posts claiming that Oxfordshire (a county council in the United Kingdom) is planning to test a “climate lockdown” starting in 2024 have gone viral. Most such posts have cited articles published on two websites, wattsupwiththat.com, and visionnews.online, claiming an impending “climate lockdown” trial in 2024 at Oxfordshire in the UK.
The articles mention that this lockdown is planned to save the planet from global warming and the concept of a 15-minute city is to confine the residents to their neighborhoods. The articles further claim that the council will be in charge of permitting residents to their zone for a maximum of 100 days per year. The articles also say that the residents must register their car details with the council, which will help keep track of vehicular movements.
WHAT WE FOUND
We found that the articles misinterpret the new traffic reduction plan approved by the Oxford County Council in Oxfordshire, UK (November 2022). Oxfordshire is situated in the northwest of London. At the local level, Oxfordshire is governed by Oxfordshire County Council along with lower-tier authorities of its five non-metropolitan districts.
The proposed new traffic reduction system would restrict drivers from accessing some specified main roads during (limited) daytime hours by using “traffic filters.” With the help of traffic cameras, the city will track and fine drivers who don’t follow the rules. However, no physical barriers will be added anywhere on roads in the execution of these rules. All the residents will be free to move to any part of the city using other streets and modes of transportation. Under these traffic filters, although the residents will be able to drive to every part of the city at any time – in the coming future, at certain times when the traffic filters are in operation, residents may need to take a different route (e.g. using another road) if they want to travel by car.
The need to take an alternate route when the traffic filters are working is only restricted to cars. While using the bus, bike, taxi, scooter, or walking, everyone can go through all the filters at any time. Exemptions will be given to the fines for carers, blue badge holders, businesses, and emergency service vehicles.
A joint statement from the Oxfordshire County and City Councils acknowledged the barrage of erroneous posts circulating online and said the claims were incorrect. “Staff and counselors at both councils have been subjected to abuse due to inaccurate information, being circulated online, about traffic filters,” the statement reads. “The traffic filters are not physical barriers of any kind and will not be physical road closures. They are simply traffic cameras that can read number plates.”
Vehicles such as buses, taxis, motorcycles, emergency vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians will still have free access to these roads. In addition, car owners will be able to apply for daylong permits to bypass the new traffic filters without being fined.
Councillor Liam Walker, who opposed the traffic filters plan, called the claims of a climate lockdown “completely untrue.” Tom Jennings, a communication manager at Oxford City Council, said the city would remain accessible to all residents by car regardless and no permission is required for the same.
Taking a different route doesn’t mean a lockdown
Oxford county council responded to various false claims stating that Oxford residents will not be confined anywhere in the Oxford area. “The misinformation online has linked the traffic filters to the 15-minute neighborhoods proposal in the City Council’s Local Plan 2040, suggesting that the traffic filters will be used to confine people to their local area. This is not true,” reported Oxford County Council. None of the roads will be physically blocked using any kind of barriers, and one can reach anywhere within the city as it will remain accessible by car.
How did the term’ Climate lockdown’ originate? What is the 15-minute city concept?
In September 2020, ISD analysts identified an emerging trend on social media relating to the term’ climate lockdown’. This spike in volume seemed to be driven primarily by climate skeptics, who claimed that the COVID-19 pandemic was merely a precursor to future ‘green tyranny’. It argued that all governments and global elites are trying to curtail civil liberties under the pretext of climate change.
During COVID-19 when the cases were rising globally, there was an immediate need to flatten the curve. Lockdowns were an essential initiative to accomplish that goal. Similarly, climate lockdowns are proposed to prevent the emission of pollutants from increasing intensely. Thus, COVID-19 is seen to give a new narrative to climate action.
The “15-minute city” concept means a city planned in a way that it has all necessary amenities within a short walk, bike ride, or public transit trip from their place of accommodation. The concept is based in part on the 15-Minute City concept coined by Carlos Moreno of Pantheon Sorbonne University.
As climate change and global conflict cause shocks and stress with increasing severity, the 15-minute city will become even more critical.
The viral internet claim misinterprets the concept of 15-minute cities by merging it with climate lockdowns and spreading misinformation that this will restrict people’s movement within the cities when implemented.
References:
- https://news.oxfordshire.gov.uk/six-traffic-filters-to-be-trialled-in-oxford/
- https://www.oxford.gov.uk/news/article/2332/joint_statement_from_oxfordshire_county_council_and_oxford_city_council_on_oxford_s_traffic_filters
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2022/12/23/fact-check-no-uk-town-wont-introduce-climate-lockdowns-2024/10905558002/
- https://mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=11203
- https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/residents/roads-and-transport/connecting-oxfordshire/traffic-filters/traffic-filter-factcheck
- https://www.isdglobal.org/isd-publications/climate-lockdown-and-the-culture-wars-how-covid-19-sparked-a-new-narrative-against-climate-action/
- https://www.greenmatters.com/weather-and-global-warming/climate-lockdowns
- https://www.mdpi.com/2624-6511/4/1/6
- https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2022/03/15-minute-city-stickiness/
