£32m Oxfordshire road investment work on track
Road crews have stayed safe and abided by social distancing rules as Oxfordshire County Council’s work continues to keep roads safe as part of a major package of surfacing projects.
Miles of Oxfordshire road gets new lease of life
The first phase of this year’s £32m road repair programme, surface dressing, has just finished. This technique improves the road surface and provides waterproofing which extends the life of the road.
In the last month the team have:
- Resurfaced an area equivalent to 80 Wembley pitches (600,000m2)
- Improved 110 miles of road
- Worked 19 shifts making the most of the good weather
- Used 11,000 tonnes of stone and 1.1 million litres of binder material
Super Sunday of surfacing
One day was lost to bad weather, but the team made up for that with what they called “Super Sunday” on 19 April where they completed work on five sites, equivalent of just under 6.5miles.
County Councillor Liam Walker, Cabinet member for Highway Delivery and Operation, said: “The impressive figures speak for themselves and I would like to thank the teams that have been out making the most of the good weather to help improve Oxfordshire’s roads and keep them safe.”
Crews coached for social distancing
Safe working is always right at the top of the agenda for the county council and its contractors, but during the current coronavirus pandemic the teams have been using a novel way to maintain social distancing.
A coach was used for the surface dressing project to bolster the vehicle fleet to get crews to and from site safely. This large vehicle can carry up to twelve workers allowing them to maintain the required 2m distance at all times. It provided enough capacity so that other workers can get around in other vans and trucks individually so that distancing is maintained.
County Councillor Liam Walker, Cabinet member for Highway Delivery and Operation, said: “Keeping safe and keeping well has never been more important and that applies to everyone who is working hard under really difficult circumstances right now.
“The usual trucks and vans aren’t cramped, but there’s no way workers can maintain their distances in them, and in many circumstances it’s not practical to use lots of vehicles to get the crews to site.”
Road repairs still rolling
Work to deliver the county council’s massive spring and summer list of repairs is continuing apace.
Three structural patching projects are also planned to take place shortly, these will be at:
- Spring Lane, Watlington
- Manor Road, South Hinksey
- A417 Challow Road, Wantage
There is also a programme of safety schemes starting in mid-May to resurface the following roads:
- B4027 Milford Bridge
- B4030 Steeple Barton
- A4095 North Leigh (Boddington Lane)
- London Road, Wheatley
- Southwold Ln Rbt, Bicester
- A4185 Rowstock Rbt