Have your say on proposals to make city junctions safer

^{Image shows Banbury Road in Oxford, from the Bevington Road junction.}

Oxfordshire County Council is asking people for their thoughts on draft designs to make safety improvements to junctions on Banbury Road, north Oxford, and on Iffley Road in east Oxford, two of the busiest through-roads beyond the city centre.

The Safer Roads Fund project for Oxford is focusing on improving a series of junctions on these roads to reduce the risk of road traffic accidents by focusing on points where there have been a slightly higher number of collision incidents:

• Banbury Road at Bevington Road, Norham Road, St. Margaret’s Road, Rawlinson Road, Linton Road, and Belbroughton Road on Banbury Road (A4165) between St. Giles (A4144) and the A40 roundabout.
• Iffley Road at Radcliffe Road, Cornwallis Road, Iffley Turn (South), Westbury Crescent, and Courtland Road (North), and Courtland Road (South) on Iffley Road (A4158) between the Donnington Bridge junction (B4495) and the Eastern Bypass roundabout (A4142).

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “The welfare and safety of our residents is a top priority. These two roads are key routes into the city, used daily by a wide range of transport users, and provide key access to several of Oxford’s schools.

“We want to ensure that people can feel confident coming out of their road to make the trip to work or school, that drivers and cyclists have clearer visibility of other road users at the junctions, and that people who rely on mobility aids or sensory aids can make their journeys unhindered.”

Proposed improvements include:

• Adding solar studs along the cycle routes to separate the cycleway from the highway more clearly.
• Improving raised pedestrian crossing points (‘pedestrian refuge islands’).
• Raising junction entrances to footway level to reduce vehicle speed and make it easier for mobility aids to cross.
• Tactile paving to show kerb edges.

The safer roads project is a part of the county council’s vision zero commitment to work toward a goal of zero serious or fatal road traffic accidents on the county and city roads by 2050. It has worked together with the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Safer Roads Foundation, and engaged with local partners to identify and plan the improvements. The plans are designed to ensure they meet UK government guidance for best practice in protecting vulnerable road users. 

The proposals are available to view on the county council’s Let’s Talk Oxfordshire digital engagement and consultation platform until 5pm on 28 March 2025. Subject to approval at a county council cabinet member decision meeting, it is expected that works would start during summer 2025 and complete later in the year.

Ends

For more information about this release contact Oxfordshire County Council’s communications team on email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Notes to editors

• Supporting information, maps, drawings and a survey, as well as details of how to obtain printed copies of the survey or any information in an alternative format can be found on Let’s talk Oxfordshire.
• Feedback and any questions on the project can be emailed to saferroadsfund@oxfordshire.gov.uk  
• Residents can access further information on the county council’s website.
• Measures in the Central Oxfordshire Travel Plan and Oxfordshire’s Local Transport and Connectivity Plan are designed to make Oxfordshire a better place for everyone.
• UK government guidance for best practice in protecting vulnerable road users includes, among other documents: Local Transport Note for cycle infrastructure design: LTN 1/20, Active Travel England design assistance tools, and local cycling and walking infrastructure plans technical guidance.
• Vulnerable road users (VRUs) are people who have less protective equipment protecting them when making a journey. They include pedestrians, people using mobility aids, cyclists, horse-riders and motorbike or moped riders. The Highway Code discusses VRUs in its section on road users requiring extra care.
• This project has received £1.675 million from the Department for Transport’s Safer Roads Fund to deliver the safety works proposed. The funding is provided with the condition that is used only for new safety improvements (so cannot cover pothole repairs) that will protect people travelling on these specific roads – especially VRUs.
• As a part of Oxfordshire County Council’s vision zero commitments, this project aims to: provide better pedestrian and cycling facilities; reduce the risk and number of collisions and accidents; and reduce the number of fatal/serious injuries/casualties involving pedestrians and cyclists.

 Sign up to hear from us and receive the latest news and updates in our fortnightly newsletter, Your Oxfordshire.