01
October
2014
|
09:42
Europe/London

London Road transport improvements begin 13 October

WORK on a £2.1million project to deliver public transport and cycle improvements and a new road surface on the A420 London Road will begin on 13 October.

London Road is one of Oxford’s busiest arterial routes leading in from the east. Each day around 16,000 vehicles, including up to 900 buses and coaches, use the route. It also serves as a key distributor road for residents and businesses of Headington.

County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet member for transport, said: “The improvements will benefit residents and businesses in the area and the travelling public will be pleased by the prospect of a higher quality and more durable road surface.

“The enhanced facilities for cyclists and buses will help improve journey times and reliability between Thornhill Park and Ride and Headington.

“People have been calling for these improvements for a long time and it has taken a great deal of effort and planning to pull everything together so that we can get the improvements and the road reconstruction done in sequence.”

What the work will involve

At the approaches to the Green Road Roundabout the A40 approach will be widened so a new length of bus lane can be put in. Both sides of the A420 approach at the Lyndworth Close junction will also be widened so a new bus stop layby area can be built on the south side of the road

On the south side of A420 London Road between the roundabout and Wharton Road the footway will be made “shared use” so that pedestrians and cyclists can use it..

In the new year the A420 London Road, between the roundabout and Wharton Road, will be resurfaced. This will involve a full reconstruction of the westbound bus lane, replacing damaged and broken kerbing and carrying out drainage improvement work.

Two phases

The work will be carried out in two phases with the first being the construction of the bus and cycle improvements at the Green Road roundabout and on London Road in the area of the Lyndworth Close junction.

This phase will be completed by the end of January 2015.

Second phase

The second phase is proposed to take place between January and May 2015 and will include resurfacing from the junction with Wharton Road to the junction with Northfield Road - a distance of approximately 500 metres.

Traffic management

London Road will remain open during the improvement work with traffic management being used to minimise the impact on road users, residents and businesses as far as possible.

County Councillor Nimmo Smith explained: “Delays are to be expected throughout the time when the road works are underway and everyone is being asked to review their daily journey route, mode of transport and time of travel and where possible consider alternatives.

“The first phase will be done by January 2015, and we will leave a break over the Christmas period, before the resurfacing is done in the new year. The short term pain of the work will be worth the long term gains brought by the improved transport facilities and reconstructed road surface.”

During Phase 1 the road works on the A40 approach will be carried out by temporarily closing the bus lane and left turn lane onto the eastern bypass. The subway under the A40 will be closed during the construction period and an alternative route for pedestrians and cyclists will be provided.

On the east side of the roundabout, lane restrictions will be used to create working space for the road widening on the north side of the London Road. This will then be followed by road widening on the south side of the road. Local diversion routes will be in place for pedestrians and cyclists while this work is carried out. Right turns in and out of Lyndworth Close and Northfield Road will be banned while the widening works are carried out on the south side of the road.

The details of the traffic management for Phase 2, which will take place in the new year, are in development.

Preparatory work

Workers will be in the area from 6 October to set up the site compound and undertake some minor tasks in readiness for the start of work on the 13th.

Keeping informed

  • The county council’s Travel Choices webpages provide live travel information, a journey planner and information alternative modes of transport and other major transport schemes see: www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/travelchoices.
  • Twitter: Follow @oxfordshirecc
  • The county council provides traffic information to a range of radio stations and news websites so that the travelling public can get useful information from their favourite providers
  • Signs are being placed on site to forewarn road users in advance of the work.
  • If you have any particular queries, please contact the Highways Enquiry team on 0845 310 1111 or highway.enquiries@oxfordshire.gov.uk (0830 -1700 Monday –Thursday and 0830 -1600 on Fridays).