I always thought that a real draw back from living in Oxford is the inability to just jet off to far flung places at a moments notice. Or at least without having to trek all the way to Luton or Heathrow.

That could all change, apparently. Oxford Airport has recently been flying people to Jersey, and now we may soon be able to fly not only to UK cities but also to destinations like Amsterdam, Paris, Brussels and Geneva.

It’s been reported in the Oxford Mail;

“Bosses at the Kidlington-based airport have been in discussion with several operators about starting daily business flights to European capitals, as well as offering further weekly charter flights for tourists”

That means, in the time it normally takes to drive to Luton, park, check in, shuffle through security, you could be sitting with your feet up in some European city. And the whole dilemma about whether you may get snarled up in the M25 traffic would be a distant memory.

Excellent idea I say. Fingers crossed all the ideas take off… ha ha

Have you ever read the Leader of the Council’s blog?

No, suspected not. It’s reasonably useful for finding out what is rattling the cages of the Council at the moment though… and the current hot topic is the battle about improvements to Junction 9 of the M40.

Basically, motorists have been complaining about the traffic jams at the junction for years, but now it emerges that any further improvements depend on an eco-town being given the green light (excuse the pun)

Our esteemed leader, Cllr Keith Mitchell, gets quite irate at this point:

“Perhaps those at Whitehall who have taken this decision would like to travel on this section of the M40 on any day of the week and see what it is like now – without a single brick of the proposed eco-town ever having been laid. While they are at it they could travel down the two-lane A34, rush hour would be a good time.”

At least he promises that “Oxfordshire County Council will not give up on this” and hopefully, in the future, we may actually be able to sail up and down the M40 as we please.

When was the last time you walked through Oxford centre, only for a bus to miss knocking you down by a whisker? I mean, it would be my own fault. I try not to make a habit of stepping out into roads without looking, but it’s easily done, if only to walk round someone.

Which is why the plans to pedestrianise Queen Street, George Street and Magdalen Street strike me as being rather sensible. I understand the concerns of shop owners – and of the bus companies themselves – but it would certainly make it safer for shoppers and visitors alike, as well as for rather absent minded people like me.

Oxford City Council are currently holding consultation meetings about the proposed plans, with the majority of concerns focusing on how much harder it will be for people to get into the centre. Despite this, I think it’s pretty inevitable although the issue of money is bound to raise its ugly head. As far as I know, over £1m has already been allocated, although I’m yet to see the official figures of estimated costs.

We could be looking as soon as 2010 if it’s given the go-ahead, but until then, make sure you keep an eye out for those pesky Oxford buses.