'Tis the season to... hate on cycle lanes? Oxford's Christmas Market has been called from things like the "most disappointing" to a "disgrace" by traders and locals alike who haven't been too keen on the fact that a cycle lane hasn't been closed to make way for the chalets, with the previous organiser quitting over the row and the new ones blaming the supposed public disapproval on the key cycling route through the city centre.
The Christmas Market, which is hosted in the city centre for two weeks, had been put into jeopardy earlier this year when the organiser announced that they'd be pulling out after an impasse with the council over the shutting of the cycle lane for that period.
Oxfordshire County Council maintained that the bike lane in Broad Street was a key route for many cyclists and that it had taken steps to ensure the safety of pedestrians. It managed to get a different organiser on board to keep the tradition of the Christmas Market going, but they have also come out and criticised the cycle lane.
"If you didn’t have the cycle lane there, it would be an improvement," said Dermot McGillicuddy, operations director of LSD Promotions, which organised this year’s event. "Previously it was one site, and you could create everything in that, but it’s now two separate sites. It's just not conducive to creating the best atmosphere."
He added that Oxford "deserved a better Christmas market" and even flirted with the idea of moving it to St Giles, reports Oxford Mail.
Tian Chaudhry, of dog food company Butternut Box, told BBC Oxford that the Market this year had been "disappointing". She said: "There's not that much variety, there's not that much music. I think the footfall is quite low.
"Last year was a lot better when people weaved their way through the different chalets. It felt more Christmas-y. This could almost be a high street any time of the year."
Khia Spencer, of Iuvo Skincare, lamented the loss of chalets, which have been swapped out for gazebos this year. She said: "The chalets were something quite quintessential about Christmas, having quite a community feel, and pulling people from other cities and towns... for the whole ambience of the market."
However, she added while the wooden huts were "sorely missed", there were still "smiley faces" and "brilliant products".
Pam Clark, a visitor to the market, said: "It's more like a food market than a Christmas market. I expected to see more Christmas items. We thought it would be covering a lot more things."
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However, the organisers have said that the traders reported their takings being "on par" with previous years and that "considering we’re in a recession, they’re happy with that".
Luciana Malanga, trading at the market for the first time, said: "It's been lovely, so I'm just happy to be here. People are well within their rights to have their feelings, but so far we're happy."
The fears put forward by the previous organiser Nicole Rahimi, who has managed the festivities for the past 14 years, were also down to "safety fears" for pedestrians getting hit by cyclists.
The cycle lane runs between the two public spaces where the market is pitched up on Broad Street, and is separated from the tat and kangaroo meat-filled stalls. Visitors to the market are able to move between each side through informal crossing areas, the council said.
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Last year, the county council closed the bike lane and installed a diversion route for cyclists while the market was in place. However, it says that the alternative route will not be viable this Christmas.
In fact, cyclists in Oxford hoping to attend the city's Christmas market by bike were left even more disappointed in 2022 after the council announced bike racks near the site would be temporarily removed during the festive event.
An Oxfordshire County Council spokesman said: "The conditions regarding the cycle lane were in place when the Christmas Market application process started. The east-west cycle path through Broad Street is a key route and is important to maintain. Thousands of cyclists use it every day.
"We looked at things we could do to improve safety, such as reducing the width of the entrance to the cycle path to reduce bike speeds. Similar events have taken place in Broad Street with the cycle route in place, and these have not led to any reports of collisions. We are not aware of any reports of collisions at the site during this year’s event."
Many locals who criticised the market on social media, calling it a "disgrace" and "the most disappointing Christmas Market in the country" went on to lambast the council's 'anti-car' agenda, accusing them of "hating motorists" and having been "infiltrated by the extremist cycle lobby".
However, Pedal and Post Oxford, an eco-courier service in the city, claimed that keeping the east-west cycle routes open has enabled its workers to make essential Christmas deliveries on time in an ultra-low emission way.
Keep Christmas cycle lanes open and it means parcels and deliveries get there on time, in an ultra low emission way
Supporting key workers, getting deliveries done and having a great Christmas Market can both come true this Christmas 👍
👍🌳🎁💙🚴♂️ https://t.co/Fi4svpdEDW
— Pedal & Post Oxford (@PedalandPost) December 23, 2023