Plan ahead for Kennington and Hinksey Hill contraflow

On 27 July new contraflow arrangements will come into force, which will reduce the A423 to one lane in each direction on a full time basis between Hinksey Hill Interchange and Heyford Hill Interchange. This is expected to last until early November 2014.

There will also be various side and slip road closures and turning movement restrictions at Kennington Roundabout, Old Abingdon Road and Kennington Road. Diversion signs will be in place for these, and road users are urged to drive with care as they get used to the new temporary layout and obey the 30 mph speed limit.

This will inevitably mean greater congestion and longer journey times.

Plan your journey in advance

County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet member for transport, said: “Work is going well and we will shortly be ready for the next phase, which requires full time contraflows. Up until now we have been able to work during off peak hours to minimise delays, but this is not possible as we enter this next phase.

“We want to give people as much notice as possible so that they can plan their journeys well in advance. The best advice is to look at whether you can use another form of transport, or maybe change your journey and use one of the park and rides around Oxford.

“You can get more information on how to plan your journey at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/travelchoices

“Everyone is working hard to get the job done as soon as possible and are well on track to get the road back to normal, with the improvements in place, before Christmas.

“Ultimately the inconvenience drivers are putting up with at the moment will be replaced with a far more efficient journey once our work is complete.”

Oxfordshire County Council is investing more than £6 million of City Deal funding in a project that will bring a new “hamburger” style roundabout to Kennington Roundabout as well as traffic-flow improvement measures at Hinksey Hill Interchange, and the refurbishment of four bridges in the area.

The improvements to Kennington and Hinksey Hill roundabouts is a transport project that forms part of the Oxford and Oxfordshire City Deal - an agreement with the government to support the Oxfordshire economy by investing in science and technology.

Around 60,000 vehicles a day pass through the junctions and the scheme has been designed to increase capacity by 30 per cent in the evening peak period. Work is due to be complete by the end of November 2014.

Recycling centre

The expected congestion means that access to Redbridge Household Waste Recycling Centre will be affected throughout the duration of the road works. Residents are advised to use alternative recycling centres at Drayton, Dix Pit or Ardley, local recycling banks or Oxford City Council bulky waste collections. For more information visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/waste.