The Department for Transport has confirmed personal injury collision and casualty statistics for Great Britain. The trends are very encouraging for Oxfordshire.

Analysis of the data indicates that people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on Oxfordshire’s roads fell by around 18 per cent compared with the previous year. Across the Thames Valley area as a whole, KSIs appear to have increased by approximately 20 per cent over the same period.

The KSI measure is generally regarded as the most robust indicator within the provisional dataset because serious and fatal collisions are more consistently reported and recorded than lower-level incidents.

In February 2022, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved funding to support the roll-out of 20mph schemes in communities across the county at no cost to town and parish councils. Since then, more than 275 communities in urban and rural areas have requested and implemented 20mph measures.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “This is extremely encouraging. Oxfordshire is bucking the wider Thames Valley trend, with serious and fatal casualties falling significantly at a time when neighbouring areas are seeing increases.

“This shows the approach we have taken in Oxfordshire is working. We have made a conscious decision as a county to take speed seriously because lower speeds save lives, reduce the severity of injuries, and make our communities safer and healthier places to live.

“Our ambition is for Oxfordshire to become known as the county that takes road safety seriously. Whether someone is walking to school, cycling to work, catching a bus, or driving through one of our towns and villages, everyone deserves to get home safely.

“The growth in support for 20mph schemes across the county shows that communities understand the benefits. These measures are not about stopping people getting around; they are about creating streets that feel safer, calmer and more welcoming for everyone.”

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “"These figures show real progress and the positive impact of our Vision Zero programme.   Day by day, week by week, year on year, more people in Oxfordshire are getting home without harm from road collisions.  The patterns are good across all indicators.

"There is more to do, and we continue to need more enforcement of the law.  To achieve Vision Zero requires more year-on-year work.  That's why we are working to tackle issues on particular A and B roads, working with our town and parish councils, and will be putting forward more proposals through the year."

Donnington Bridge has operated under a weight restriction since summer 2024 after deterioration was detected in inspections. It forms part of Oxford’s inner orbital route (B4495) and is one of a limited number of River Thames crossings within the city’s ringroad.

The council is bidding to government’s Structures Fund for £8m to fund a strengthening scheme that would restore full loading capacity and enable efficient movement of goods and services, improve public transport reliability, and reduce congestion. The council would provide £2m of funding to make a scheme total of £10m.

Since late 2024, the council has provided a shuttle service for people affected by the re-routing of buses due to the weight restriction using its own minibus fleet.

Cllr Liz Leffman, Cabinet Member for Highways Construction and Repair said: “Donnington Bridge provides a key link between residential areas and major employment centres including Oxford city centre, Cowley, Headington and Littlemore.

“The weight limit that had to be imposed in 2024 has inconvenienced residents, disrupted bus services and heavy goods vehicle movements, increased journey times and decreased efficiency across the road network generally.

“That is why we have been working hard to put this bid to government together. We believe that we meet all of the relevant criteria and we are hopeful of a positive outcome. We want to see Donnington Bridge restored to full working capacity for the benefit of all road users and the residents of the city generally.”

The programme was agreed by Oxfordshire County Council thanks to information gathered during a project to inspect and clean every highway gully in the county last year.

There are around 147,000 gullies across Oxfordshire. In April 2025, the council launched a programme to inspect every gully and catchpit in the county over 12 months.

Working with partners M Group and Drainline, all gullies were inspected and 135,254 were cleaned at least once – around 92 per cent of the total.

Some could not be cleaned, despite repeat visits, due to parked cars, or issues such as seized lids, and have been flagged for follow-up visits.

Others were found to have more complex defects and have been added to the latest programme for further investigation and repair, confirmed by Councillor Liz Leffman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Construction and Repairs, on Thursday.

The additional £4m funding – taking the total investment to £9.42m – will help increase the number of drainage infrastructure repairs and investigations over the next two years and ensure that routine gully cleansing work is as effective as possible.

Cllr Leffman said: “Given the wet winter we had last year, and the extensive flooding that it caused, it’s important to maintain and clear gullies and make sure that broken infrastructure is replaced.

“We have a lot of broken gullies, due to many years of under investment. We know that by repairing them we will significantly improve drainage, particularly over the winter period. That’s why we have invested £4m over the next two years on gully infrastructure.

“This work will help to minimise network disruption, protect communities and property, and support safe, reliable travel. The programme will also prioritise preventative interventions, reduce reactive maintenance costs and strengthen our ability to respond to increasingly severe weather events.”

The programme will also see higher risk areas cleaned annually and others on a two-year cycle. Priorities are based on risk, using data from last year’s countywide programme, flood mapping and flood investigation reports.

The 2025-26 programme removed around 2,346 tonnes of waste from the county’s gullies.

The material was processed through a zero to landfill specialist waste recycling facility, where water was treated and discharged if not required for the wash plant, and sand and aggregate was recovered and re-sold.

Rubbish was sent to a materials recovery facility, followed by recycling or energy recovery, and nothing was knowingly sent to landfill.

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Oxfordshire County Council will carry out drainage improvements on Buttercross Lane from 3 – 28 August. The road will be shut from its junction with Willowbank while the work is carried out.

As the route is the only means of vehicular access, traffic management including marshals will be in place to manage the movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Construction and Repair, said: “Residents have had to put up with flooding at this location for far too long due to a lack of proper maintenance by the developer prior to the road’s adoption by the council as highways authority.

“Officers have worked hard to come up with a solution to this problem, which was far from straightforward to resolve. Once completed, this should significantly reduce the risk of the road flooding whenever there is heavy rain.

“Although marshals will be present while the work takes place, there may be times when it is not possible for people to gain immediate passage through the site. When this happens, we would ask for patience and co-operation from the public.”

Before the project begins, survey work will take place to identify the depth of underground apparatus throughout the site. This element could result in some delays for those wishing access through the site.

Warning signs will be installed at the junction of Station Lane and Buttercross Lane two weeks before the start date.

During the work, one side of the carriageway will be left open, when feasible to do so, to allow residents to move through the site.

Temporary ramps will be installed on the kerb line to assist larger vehicles that need to travel through the site. This operation will be done under the guidance of one of the marshals.

Overnight barriers will be installed at the site while the work takes place, although one lane will be left open to enable the public to exit and enter Buttercross Lane.

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Oxfordshire County Council ‘s principal highways contractor M Group has welcomed the arrival of a 3.5-tonne highways maintenance truck – the first hydrogen-powered vehicle across the company’s 10,000 vehicle UK-wide fleet.

It marks a significant step in both M Group’s and the council’s commitments to reducing carbon emissions.

Compared to diesel, HVO and hydrogen fuel has significantly lower tailpipe carbon emissions by an average of 30 - 40 per cent. It also reduces emissions affecting air quality, such as nitrogen oxide, which support cleaner air across Oxfordshire.

While the fuel source is new, the vehicle is not.

Hydrogen technology specialists ULEMCo have retrofitted a standard maintenance truck, with the conversion funded by M Group. ULEMCo will also adapt a second vehicle, expected to be a medium or larger HGV, which will join the Oxfordshire fleet early in 2027.

Richard Lovewell, M Group’s Business Director, said: “M Group Highways has an ambitious target of being net zero carbon by 2040. We’re excited to be working with Oxfordshire County Council to trial practical solutions that can accelerate the journey to net zero.”

Councillor Liz Leffman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Construction and Repair, said: “The climate emergency is the biggest challenge the planet faces, and we are committed to not only reaching our own net zero target as a council by 2030 but to enabling Oxfordshire to be carbon neutral well ahead of 2050.

“We are delighted to be working with M Group to trial this innovative technology which will mean lower emissions and cleaner air across Oxfordshire.”

The dual fuel vehicles will be used to transport crews and materials to sites to carry out repairs and improvements on Oxfordshire’s roads.

Highways crews have received in depth training on how to refuel, maintain and operate the converted vehicles, with a particular focus on driver and public safety.

The drivers’ experience – along with a host of metrics, such as costs and fuel usage efficiency – will help assess the overall success of the trial.

With HGVs and trucks contributing around 17 - 21 per cent of road transport emissions, Oxfordshire’s trial could be pivotal in accelerating the UK’s transition to hydrogen-powered vehicles.

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Secondary school pupils showcased their creativity and passion for sustainable travel at a lively pitch event held at Oxfordshire County Council’s County Hall in Oxford on 19 March.

As part of the county council’s travel champions programme, students from Fitzharrys School in Abingdon and The Warriner School in Banbury pitched their active travel campaigns to a panel of judges, competing for £200 to help bring their ideas to life.

The judging panel of Councillor Andrew Gant and Councillor Emily Kerr representing the county and city councils respectively, and Ellie Clarke‑Jacques, from Active Oxfordshire, offered feedback and encouragement.

Students from The Warriner School, a rural school where many pupils travel by bus or car, focused their campaign on promoting respectful travel and car sharing. Meanwhile, pupils from Fitzharrys School set out to encourage more pupils to walk to school, boosting physical activity and improving local air quality. Both teams impressed the judges and were named joint winners, each receiving £200 to help deliver their campaigns.

Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “It was wonderful to hear the brilliant ideas and fresh perspectives the teams brought for ways their schools can engage their communities and inspire more sustainable travel. I am really looking forward to seeing their ideas take shape as they build their plans.”

Students described the experience of presenting in the council chamber as “inspiring” and “educational”, calling it a “good experience [we] were fortunate and proud to have.”

Following the event, the pupils will take part in a further session focused on marketing, before delivering and evaluating their campaigns and contributing to their school travel plans.

_{Image shows the winning student teams from Fitzharrys and Warriner schools with Councillor Emily Kerr - Oxfordshire County Council Active Travel Champion, and Oxford City Council; Councillor Andrew Gant - Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Transport Management; and Ellie Clarke-Jacques from Active Oxfordshire.}

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Starting later this month, Go Electric Oxfordshire events are happening in every district to allow residents to learn about EVs and explore the wide range of vehicles and charging solutions that are currently available.

The events are open to all and are organised in partnership between Oxfordshire County Council and Oxfordshire’s city and district councils, with support from Let’s Experience Electric.

Councillor Ben Higgins, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Future Economy and Innovation, said: “These fabulous, free events are part of our overall programme to provide a confidence boost to drivers looking to switch to EV and build on our leadership in this field.

“Alongside hugely expanding Oxfordshire’s public EV charging network, we also want residents to simply feel better informed and more familiar with the types of electric vehicles that more of us will be driving in the near future.”

The series kicks off on Saturday 21 March at the Woolgate Centre in Witney from 10am - 3pm. To register your interest visit the Eventbrite website.

Attendees can test drive models from a range of local dealerships, receive tips from experts and explore options such as car clubs and leasing. There will also be e-bikes to try and lots of practical information on things like renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Councillor Andrew Prosser, West Oxfordshire District Council’s Executive Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, said: “I’m thrilled to see a large scale event like this coming to Witney and helping give our residents real world experiences with electric vehicles.

“I’d encourage West Oxfordshire residents to visit and discover how it feels to drive an EV and explore the various ways it might be more viable than you think to make the switch.”

Free EV test drives will be available across a wide range of vehicles of all shapes and sizes and to suit all budgets.

Attendees can also find out more about Oxfordshire’s plans to expand the public EV charging network and to explore other charging options such as charger sharing and cable channels.

Further events are planned for Abingdon, Banbury, Oxford and Didcot later this year. More information is available at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/goelectric

Funding for these events comes from a combination of Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) grant funding from the government and contributions from local car dealerships and other stallholders.

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The five on-call firefighters, based in Abingdon, all live in the town and are close to the fire station. They share their story in the lead up to International Women’s Day, taking place on Sunday 8 March.

Emily Potter, firefighter in Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service, and part of the all female crew, said: “For as long as I can remember we’ve had female on-call firefighters based in Abingdon, and across many of our other fire stations too. 

“What’s different now is that through a combination of training, availability and living locally, the five of us can crew a fire appliance together when needed.

"We’ve worked incredibly hard to gain the necessary skills so we can respond together as an all female crew. Our commitment shows just how capable and determined we are and we’re proud of what we’ve achieved together.

“It’s been an empowering experience, a journey of camaraderie, supported by our chief fire officer and colleagues at the station, and I hope it encourages more women to see firefighting as a career for them.”

Overall, Abingdon Fire Station has 17 on-call firefighters, 12 males and five females. They work alongside 12 full-time crew members, ten males and two females.

On-call firefighters participate in a wide range of activities in their local area, from responding to emergency calls to providing prevention advice to help keep residents safe and, ultimately, to save lives.

As on-call firefighters, the five all female crew have other jobs outside of the service but make themselves available at certain times to respond to emergency calls. When this happens, they will quickly make their way to their fire station from home, work or wherever they happen to be, all aided by living locally.

On-call firefighters are offered a flexible shift pattern to fit around their studies, work and family commitments, to attract a wide range of people to the service.

Emily is currently working as an engineer. She has been an on-call firefighter for over seven years. Her fellow crew members are Anastasia Osborne, Kayleigh Williams, Maria Alegria and Karen Bellcourt.

Maria, an on-call firefighter for nearly four years, works at London Oxford Airport, while Kayleigh, a mum of two, is a photographer who has been an on-call firefighter for three years.

Anastasia has been an on-call firefighter for nearly two years, and is employed as a firefighter at RAF Brize Norton.

Karen, a mum of three and an on-call firefighter for over four years, also works as a student health and safety adviser at Abingdon and Witney College.

Karen said: “Being able to respond from my primary employment, close to the fire station, makes being an on-call firefighter achievable for me, and the flexibility and support of my employer is brilliant.

“Working alongside my female colleagues as part of the wider Abingdon crew is both an honour and a privilege. Through supporting our community and one another, we live the spirit of ‘give to gain,’ proving that when we step forward and give, we all grow stronger together.”

Rob MacDougall, Chief Fire Officer, Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service, said: “As we mark International Women’s Day, it’s especially important to recognise the dedication of the Abingdon crew and our commitment to equal opportunities across our fire and rescue service. We now have 56 female operational firefighters in Oxfordshire.

“We’ve come a long way since our first all female fire crew over 20 years ago in Faringdon and I remember thinking back then that we’d achieve it again. Now we have at Abingdon.

“Here in Oxfordshire, we pride ourselves on being an inclusive organisation, welcoming applications from everyone with the right attributes. If you’ve got what it takes to be a firefighter we’d love to hear from you.

“Our crew at Abingdon Fire Station is a brilliant example of what can be achieved when we embrace diversity and promote inclusivity.”

Rebecca Rimmer, Watch Manager at Faringdon Fire Station, reflects on being part of the first all female crew in Faringdon two decades ago: “I have gained so much from my career in the fire service. It’s pushed me out of my comfort zone in so many positive ways and allowed me to gain skills that I’ve applied in all aspects of my life, even in my most important job of being a mum to my two children.

“Twenty years ago, being in that groundbreaking all female crew based at Faringdon felt like breaking through a glass ceiling. We had to go that extra mile to prove we were just as capable as the men in dealing with the daily physical and mental challenges the role entails.

“It’s taken longer than I expected to see another all female crew in place, but we’ve got there and now I hope the Abingdon team will inspire more women to consider a role as an on-call firefighter where a flexible work pattern can be put in place to work around family commitments, career or studies, or indeed a full-time firefighter.”

Attributes and requirements needed by on-call firefighters include:

• a strong desire to support the local community
• enthusiasm for working as part of a team
• a reasonable level of fitness
• living or working within a close distance to the local fire station (approximately five minutes).

Further information about becoming an on-call firefighter is available by emailing fire.recruitment@oxfordshire.gov.uk or from Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service will be launching its next recruitment campaign for whole‑time firefighters shortly, welcoming applications from individuals interested in joining the service in a full‑time capacity.

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An appeal has been issued for volunteers to help their communities understand flood risks and responsibilities by becoming flood wardens.

Oxfordshire County Council has extended its flood warden scheme to cover the whole county following successful pilot projects in Witney, Ascott-under-Wychwood, Abingdon and Sunningwell.

There is no set number of hours required, and flood wardens can volunteer according to their own schedule.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Flood wardens are our eyes and ears on the ground and report things liked blocked ditches and drains so that we can resolve these issues before a flood event can occur. As extreme weather becomes a more common occurrence, their role becomes so much more important.

“We are so grateful to all the county’s volunteers, whose hard work and local knowledge does so much to keep their communities safe. I would like to thank our existing flood wardens for their efforts and invite more people to join them in improving the situation in the places where they live.”

Flood wardens are members of the local community. They can be individuals, representatives of the parish council or existing community resilience volunteers, highway wardens or police volunteers.

William Wareing, Chairman and Trustee of the Witney Flood Group, has been a flood warden since April 2023 and is the coordinator of the town’s seven-strong flood wardens group.

Mr Wareing said: “My home was flooded in 2007 and 2020. Although I have since moved to a safer location, I feel passionate about making a difference to others who are unable to move out of the high flood risk zone.

“I wanted us to establish a flood warden community through our involvement in the joint risk management agencies’ working party that formed after the 2020 floods. This is very closely tied with our charity, the Witney Flood Group, which was also formed after the 2020 floods, to help us build a community, support and educate, and make a difference to the conditions locally.

“Ultimately the flood wardens project is another piece of the puzzle in the solutions we seek to reduce the risk of flooding in the area.”

The council will support flood wardens in their role and provide the necessary training. All flood wardens undergo an informal one-hour call prior to signing the agreement to help them understand the role in more detail.

Mr Wareing added: “We engage with the community, report issues to the responsible authorities and create community emergency flood plans and keep in touch with each other and support each other. My role involves coordinating our wardens, increasing their knowledge and expertise, and making sure that specific high risk locations are the priority, and making them known to the community.

“Our flood wardens attend public events, learn about river management, hold conversations with both the responsible authorities and our residents and business owners. We held two public events in September, conducted a full survey of the River Windrush with evidence of photos, locations and identified any poor levels of maintenance we want to see improved.

“We plan to engage directly with riparian landowners next to encourage them to improve maintenance standards on land they own adjacent to a watercourse. We can also help them directly with light maintenance work and are set up for that now.

“Becoming a flood warden is about building a community, helping each other, representing and supporting those less fortunate or able to, and raising awareness of the flood risk issues we face across Oxfordshire,” he said.

“In our experience so far, people at risk of flooding are the strongest contenders for becoming flood wardens, as well as those with experience or interest in the subject.”

Anyone wanting to become a flood warden can read more and sign up through the county council’s Oxfordshire flood toolkit.

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Mr Grzegorz Seczkowski, 41, from Abingdon, who traded as GNA Car Sales Ltd, was found to have lowered the mileage on six vans prior to selling them to unsuspecting customers.

He bought vans at auction and clocked them before selling them through the AutoTrader website and from his forecourt. By selling the vans with reduced mileage he made an additional profit over their true worth of £20,000.

A key element of the scam involved Mr Seczkowski buying high‑mileage former fleet or rental vehicles that were under three years old – meaning they had not yet undergone an MOT and their mileage was not centrally recorded.

This enabled him to roll back the vehicles’ mileage to just above their last service records, despite them having been driven up to 22,000 additional miles, allowing him to market them as low mileage vehicles with maintained service histories.

At a hearing at Oxford Crown Court on 3 February 2026, Mr Seczkowski was sentenced to 18 months custody, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to pay £2,529 in compensation to his customers and £5,000 towards the council’s costs.

GNA Car Sales Ltd was also fined £2,000 and both Mr Seczkowski and GNA Car Sales Ltd will have to pay a victim surcharge. A deprivation order in respect of a clocked van seized by trading standards as part of the investigation was also made.

Councillor Jenny Hannaby, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety said, said: “Vehicle clocking misleads customers making a significant financial decision, with false claims leaving them frustrated, out of pocket and potentially even in danger. These vans were being sold to people who rely on them to earn a living, so breakdowns or high repair bills can have a significant impact on their lives.

“Dishonest trading of this kind undermines people’s confidence when buying a second hand vehicle, making the process more stressful and creating unnecessary difficulties for legitimate traders.

“Our trading standards team is here to protect Oxfordshire residents from rogue traders like Mr Seczkowski and will take similar action against anyone found to be engaging in offending of this nature.”

Davina Walkin, Trading Standards Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, said: "We are extremely grateful to those organisations that supported us in this case.

"Anyone purchasing a second hand vehicle can check the mileage recorded during each MOT test for free on the GOV.UK website. If a vehicle regularly covers a significant number of miles each year and then suddenly shows only a very small increase, this can indicate that the vehicle has been clocked. Unless the seller can provide a clear explanation for the reduced mileage, we would recommend caution.

“There are also companies that, for a fee, will check a vehicle for mileage discrepancies, undeclared accidents or insurance claims, or whether it has been stolen. These can be useful tools when researching a vehicle’s history before buying.”

Residents with concerns about similar activity can report it using the national consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.

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Oxfordshire County Council and its principal highways contractor M Group are more than doubling the number of repair crews from seven to at least 16 to reduce a backlog of potholes caused by the weather.

Heavy rainfall and then colder weather from mid-December into January created a cycle of freezing and thawing – perfect conditions for creating new potholes.

The council aims to repair potholes within two hours, 24 hours or 28 days, depending on how big a risk they pose. About 875 of the 28 day jobs – around 35 per cent of the total – missed their deadlines by a few days because of the rise in reports at the beginning of January and other priority issues.

Crews have also faced many larger potholes, requiring substantial repair methods which – although producing high quality results – are more labour intensive and time consuming and reduce the number of defects that can be fixed in a day.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “It has been a difficult winter, but we are actively looking to improve the situation on our roads by making more resources available to repair potholes as quickly as possible.

“Our highways teams work very hard in all weathers and conditions to maintain the 3,000 miles of road for which we are responsible. We know how important the condition of our highways is for our residents, which is why we are taking positive action.”

Repair methods include two-person gangs cutting out and replacing the defective carriageway; a Dragon Patcher machine, which seals repairs with stone chippings and hot bitumen emulsion; and Bobcat machines, which can remove large areas of damaged road surface in minutes.

To reduce the number of outstanding repairs, the council and M Group are employing more sub-contractors, redirecting the Dragon Patcher to tackle safety defects full time, retaining the Bobcat crews for defect repairs rather than scheduled maintenance, and redeploying crews to where they are most needed.

More than 41,000 highways defects were reported to the council in the last 12 months, around 90 per cent of which were potholes. About a quarter of these were reported by members of the public through the council’s Fix My Street portal, with the rest logged during its own highway inspections.

Crews are also empowered to repair additional issues, which they spot while carrying out their instructions.

To ensure quality and consistency, 20 per cent of completed repairs are inspected to assess the completeness and workmanship.

The vast majority (97 per cent) of Oxfordshire’s pothole repairs are now cut square, joint sealed filled and compacted, to undertake a permanent fix first time. Contractors filled 37,042 potholes in 2024 - 25.

Members of the public are encouraged to report potholes using www.fixmystreet.com, preferably with photographs if it is safe to take one. Fix My Street reports are generally investigated within 10 days of being raised.

People can also log on to Oxfordshire County Council’s website oxfordshire.gov.uk to report potholes.

While reactive highway work is vital, particularly for potholes that cause an immediate danger, the council’s emphasis is on maintenance work to prevent potholes forming in the first place, which is much more cost-effective than repairing them afterwards.

It has invested nearly £14.5 million since 2024 on its largest surface dressing programmes for at least 20 years, treating around two million square metres of carriageway.

Richard Lovewell, M Group Business Director, said: “We’re working closely with Oxfordshire County Council to respond to the leap in pothole reports over recent weeks. We’ve brought in additional resource and are currently working to bring in even more gangs whilst proposing initiatives including Bobcat and Dragon Patcher repairs.

“Potholes are frustrating for us all, but please remember the crews working hard to repair our roads at all hours and in all conditions should be treated with respect.”

In recent years there has been a rise in reported incidents of abuse and threatening behaviour, including filming operatives as they work to post on social media, with a minority of motorists or residents taking their frustration out on roadworkers over delays as improvements are made to the network.

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The grants, ranging from £100 to £1,700, will be used by organisations across the county to fund measures including rainwater harvesting, allotment improvements and flood advice.

The community resilience small grants programme, administered by Community Action Groups Oxfordshire (CAG) and funded by £12,000 from Oxfordshire County Council, supports local events and activities which address or raise awareness of climate adaptation.

Katherine Chesson, Director of CAG Oxfordshire, said: “Community groups are at the heart of ensuring that Oxfordshire's residents are resilient to the impacts of climate change, such as extreme weather events.

“From rainwater harvesting at community gardens to raising awareness of local emergency plans, we're proud to support these fantastic groups to deliver locally led resilience work.”

Since 2007, Oxfordshire has experienced 20 significant flood events, 12 named storms, eight cold snaps, four major heatwaves and three periods of drought.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “We know that one of the best ways to mitigate against the impact of these increased incidents of extreme weather is to support activities and events that empower local groups to act.

“We received a great field of applications and we are delighted to be able to fund an exciting range of projects. We hope these grants will help some amazing organisations create new connections and raise awareness in order to support new people, local businesses and organisations to take climate action.”

The recipients are:

• Banbury Community Action Group: It will hold a film night and workshop to raise awareness of the need for community resilience and climate adaptation measures.
• Bridge Street Community Garden, Banbury: Funds will be used to upgrade the rainwater harvesting system at the garden to make the site more resilient to climate change.
• Bioabundance, Wallingford: Recognising the potential impacts of food shortages, the group will improve two allotment sites, which were set up to create a citizen network that could rise to support residents in time of crisis.
• Greener Henley: It will deliver a local resilience briefing for the town, tailored to local risks and resilience.
• Hendreds Environment Group: Funding will support the design, printing and distribution of leaflets to communicate the local emergency plan to the community and to educate residents on how they can become more self-reliant and prepare in advance in the event of an emergency.
• Her Land, South Oxfordshire: The group will deliver a workshop on the impact of droughts and flooding and outlining solutions such as rainwater harvesting. It will also install a rainwater harvesting system to better protect its site against extreme weather events.
• One Planet Abingdon: The group will engage with the community to raise awareness of Abingdon’s emergency plan workshop sessions and help residents create personal emergency plans.
• Steventon Parish Council: As a flood response group, it wants to provide every home with a flood education booklet describing what help can be provided within the village and from outside agencies.
• Stonehill Community Garden, Vale of White Horse: Its grant will support expanded rainwater harvesting to better protect the garden against future droughts, thereby improving the biodiversity of the site.
• Sustainable Didcot: Funding will support a month of themed climate resilience events, focused predominantly on water, as drought and flood are the biggest risks Didcot faces due to climate change.
• Transition Lighthouse Empowerment Space, Oxford: The group will purchase and install a yurt for shade at the Wellbeing Community Garden in Sandy Lane, to serve communities who face barriers in accessing and connecting to nature rich spaces. 

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People can expect to receive a ‘warm welcome’ at Oxfordshire County Council’s libraries this winter, with the network offering a warm space and a hot drink for those who need it.

For the fourth year running, Oxfordshire libraries are partnering with the Warm Welcome Campaign, which supports a network of over 4,000 warm spaces across the UK.

The campaign seeks to open up more community spaces for free for those who may be feeling isolated, or whom need a warm place to stay during the colder months.

Oxfordshire’s libraries are also delivering a range of other support for residents including free cultural activities, advice sessions and signposting on helpful topics.

Simon Lay, Libraries Branch Network Operations Manager at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We will be particularly focused on providing warmth, company and support to those affected by poverty and social isolation over the winter months.

“We’re continuing to see a rise in the number of people taking up the offer of a warm space and a hot drink. In Abingdon Library, for example, we are delighted to welcome back our regular visitors and welcome new faces.

“It’s a pleasure to see so many people enjoying the space we provide, reading newspapers, doing a jigsaw and connecting with others. Take up of the warm space offer has increased by 50 per cent, and the team are grateful that we are able to provide this hospitality.”

Councillor Neil Fawcett, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Warm spaces such as our libraries provide a lifeline for many in our communities during the winter months. By offering a welcoming environment, a hot drink, and opportunities for connection, we’re not only helping people stay warm, but we’re also helping to tackle social isolation and support those facing hardship.

“This initiative is a clear reflection of our strategic priorities: we are committed to reducing inequalities, improving health and wellbeing, and building resilient, inclusive communities where everyone can thrive. Our libraries are at the heart of this effort, ensuring that every resident has access to the support and warmth they need this winter.”

As well as libraries, many other community buildings across the county also provide a warm space for those who need them. Find out more by visiting Warm Welcome’s website.

Find out about other ways to keep warm during the winter months, including financial help and more, by visiting the council’s dedicated webpage.

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A number of school street trials to encourage safer, healthier and more active school day starts and finishes have been given the go ahead at an Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member decision meeting today – 11 December 2025.

The school streets trials approved are:

• Edith Moorhouse Primary School and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Carterton

• Harriers Banbury Academy, Banbury

• Willowcroft Community Primary School and St Birinus Boys School, Didcot

An extension to the existing school street for Sandhills Community Primary School in Headington has also been agreed.

School streets restrict motor vehicle access to the area near the school entrance during school start and finish times only and would be enforced by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Since the county’s first school streets were trialled in Oxford in 2021, our school communities have reported back to us on the considerable benefits that a comparatively small arrangement can make for the school gate environment.

“I am inspired by how positive the feedback has been from them – parents, carers and pupils enjoy a healthier, and a calmer and safer environment during the rush of school drop-off and pick-up. Residents on school streets are able to enter and exit their homes and start or finish the working day more easily without stress from school run traffic or vehicles parked blocking them in.

“Being able to park at a nominated site close to the school and walk the last little bit helps for people who need to combine the school run with other journeys. It doesn’t really take more time than queueing to find a parking space by the school and loses the stress of navigating other school rush traffic trying to get away to get to work on time.

“Some people have concerns about how a school street might impact them, and this is why we’re trialling them first. We want to make sure that school streets are a really positive experience for everyone.”

County council officers will work with the schools in the new year to implement the school streets trials. All households who may need an exemption for themselves, and/or a carer or family member will be written to later in January so that these can be arranged. Other considerations such as parents/carers needing exemptions due to their or their children’s disability or illness can be arranged through the schools.

It is anticipated the school street trials would begin in March. The school street restrictions and ANPR cameras will only operate during the approved times around school start and finish, on school days and covering the entry point.

Trialling the school streets will allow residents, schools and communities to feedback any aspects of the school street that need improving to help shape a better plan for the future.

Notes 

• The details of the school streets approved to be trialled are:

  • Banbury - Harriers Banbury Academy, 8.15am - 9.15am and 2.30pm - 4.00pm. Covering Harrier's View from the junction with Bloxham Road

  • Carterton – Edith Moorhouse Primary School and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School, 8.15am - 9.15am and 2.30pm - 3.30pm. Covering Carter’s Close, Edgeworth Drive, Home Close, Lavender Place, Richens Drive, Rose Close and Spurrett Gardens, and Lawton Avenue between Alvescot Road junction and Arkell Avenue/Rock Close junction

  • Didcot – Willowcroft Community Primary School and St Birinus Boys School, 8.00am - 9.00am and 2.30pm - 3.30pm. Covering Abbott Road, The Croft, Glebe Road, Kynaston Road between Mereland and Ridgeway Road junctions, Mereland Road between Abbott and Kynaston Road junctions, Richmere and Ridgeway Roads. Addresses in Sinodun Road, Abbott Close and Bridge Close in Didcot would also be exempt as they are reliant on streets within the school street for access

  • Headington – Sandhills Community Primary School, 8.00am - 9.00am and 2:30 - 3:30pm. Previously covering Terrett Avenue, Elton Close and Sweet Green Close. The trial will bring in Delbush Avenue – from the Merewood Avenue junction up to the Hill View junction to the existing school street arrangement. The existing trial school street for Sandhills community primary school in Headington, was approved to be made permanent at a cabinet member decision meeting on 9 October 2025. During its trial it became clear that there was a need to trial extending the area to include Delbush Avenue due to impacts from school run vehicles parking across the pavement in the Avenue

• Residents and businesses either in the school streets or whose access to their addresses is dependent on the school street can register their vehicles for exemption, and for specific vehicles that need to maintain access to their homes during school street times – such as carers. Other exemptions also apply including emergency vehicles, blue badge holders, certain service vehicles and carers. Oxfordshire County Council will publish more information in January. Any further enquiries can be emailed to SchoolsActiveTravel@Oxfordshire.gov.uk

• ANPR cameras are triggered by vehicles (not people) entering a set trigger area – in which case they photograph the vehicle’s licence/ registration plate details, and an automatic notice is issued if that registration is not on the school street’s exempted list. They do not record continuously and would be set to work only during the approved times stated above

• Officers will be looking at a range of mitigations identified during the recent consultation period including the opportunity to add a double yellow line on the Bloxham Road opposite Harriers View, to deter unsafe parking

• More information about school streets:

  • Report to cabinet  This webpage includes the report to cabinet and the supporting information documents relating to the proposals

  • Oxfordshire Local cycling and walking infrastructure plan

  • School streets (including details of existing school street locations and operating times, and exemptions)

• Oxfordshire County Council’s plans for a greener, fairer and healthier county are set out in Oxfordshire’s strategic plan 2025 - 28. School streets are a part of Oxfordshire County Council’s Local Transport and Connectivity Plan. This aims to deliver a net-zero Oxfordshire transport and travel system that enables the county to thrive while protecting the environment and making Oxfordshire a better place to live for all residents

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Work is being stepped up to make sure every highway drainage gully in Oxfordshire is cleaned and emptied this year.

In April, Oxfordshire County Council began its enhanced programme to clean nearly 145,000 highway gullies and manholes by the end of March 2026. By the end of October, 67,000 gullies had been emptied.

The £2.6 million programme is taking place after an additional £1.5m investment to improve highway drainage was approved in the council’s 2025 - 26 budget. The programme is being delivered by the council’s highways contractor M Group and specialist operator Drainline.

To meet the ambitious target of cleaning every gully in the county in 12 months, the number of crews has doubled from six to 12, working two different shifts to maximise the efficiency of the gully tankers and make use of quieter roads in some locations during the evenings.

Silt is removed from the drains using suction pipes and then they are cleaned with high pressure jets of water. Some have required digging out by hand where a lot of silt has accumulated.

Drain cleaning was previously carried out on a four-year cycle, although high priority drains – such as those in areas most at risk of flooding and on high-speed roads – were cleaned more regularly.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We recognised the need to improve drainage, especially following the flooding in the county last year caused by exceptionally wet weather.

“I’m pleased that, with the additional crews, we are on schedule to complete this ambitious drainage improvement programme. It is a huge task but one that will make a big difference to our communities as extreme weather becomes more frequent.”

The funding is being used to empty gullies, carry out improved drainage management, and repair the infrastructure connecting the gullies to the outlets. Improving drainage also helps protect roads by getting water off the surfaces, reducing the risk of potholes forming during freezing weather.

While gully clearing is important in reducing surface water, no drainage system is designed to cope with instances of extreme rainfall like Oxfordshire experienced in September 2024, when a month’s worth of rain fell in just 36 hours.

Motorists are asked to make sure their vehicles are not blocking access to drains when the work is due to take place, and to take care when driving past gully emptying operations.

Around 2,500 drainage gullies were unable to be cleaned when visited so far this year because they were blocked by vehicles. Drivers are asked to lookout for signs letting them know when work is taking place.

Richard Lovewell, M Group Business Director, said: “In October alone, 17,000 drains were cleansed. That's more than 10 per cent of the county's total, thanks to huge efforts from all involved. We're proud to be working with Oxfordshire County Council and Drainline to deliver this vital programme.

“We’re also grateful to residents who move their vehicles to help our teams access the drains, meaning we can clean more drains more quickly. This simple action makes a big difference.”

All tankers are equipped with asset management software that will collect accurate data on all drainage in the county and ensure efficient planning for future programmes.

The technology also records any drain or gully that cannot be accessed, for example due to a car being parked over it or a stuck cover. This ensures a revisit can be scheduled or repair works prioritised.

A schedule, which can be viewed on the council’s website, is in place for the tankers to travel all around the county to complete the programme. However, the teams will still react to urgent incidents of blockages or flooding.

Residents can report blocked drains and gullies through Fix My Street, which is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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Meet the highways teams taking a more agile approach to maintenance and improvements in Oxfordshire.

Oxfordshire County Council and its principal highways contractor M Group has deployed highways asset response teams (HARTs) to carry out minor repairs, cleaning, and other work in towns and villages where they are most needed.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Following concerns raised by our communities in relation to highway improvements and maintenance, we're taking a more proactive approach. This initiative strengthens our collaboration with local communities.

“These teams are equipped to deliver on the ground remedial work, addressing issues more quickly.

“By being present and responsive within the community, we’re not just maintaining infrastructure, we’re building trust, improving safety, and ensuring that local concerns are acted on swiftly and effectively.”

Work carried out by the HARTs includes cleaning street signs, removing damaged railings, clearing vegetation, resetting uneven slabs and kerbstones, cleaning debris from footways, patching road defects, repairing footway defects, and removing fly posters and redundant street barriers.

In the first 10 weeks of the programme the teams cleared vegetation from 313 sites, cleaned 213 signs, removed 63 illegal signs or posters, repaired 128 potholes, fixed 17 footpaths and completed 87 other tasks such as cone removal, general tidying up, and installing barriers.

Richard Lovewell, M Group Business Director, said: “We know that seemingly minor issues like dirty signs or overgrown hedges can have a real impact on how people experience their local area. That’s why we’re proud to be deploying the highways asset response teams to deliver fast, visible improvements that residents truly notice.

“It allows our skilled teams to ‘blitz’ an area, fixing a wide range of issues in one go. Results so far have been outstanding. Our teams love being able to make such a meaningful difference in one go, and the feedback from the community has been fantastic.”

Locations are chosen based on a high volume of reports to the council’s Fix My Street portal, engagement with town and parish councils, as well as places where temporary safety measures had previously been installed.

Areas visited so far by the HARTs have included Bicester, Banbury, Witney, Abingdon, Didcot, Wantage and Grove.

They also work closely with the council’s highways engagement team to keep residents informed, providing clear updates on what can be resolved immediately and what may require further action.

Cllr Gant added: “Over the coming months, we’ll be engaging more closely with town and parish councils to identify priority areas where their local knowledge and presence can help us respond more effectively to community needs.

“This evolving partnership is all about making sure resources are focused where they’re most needed, ensuring timely and visible improvements that matter to residents.”

Reporting road and street problems on Fix My Street, which is on the council’s website, remains the most effective way to report local issues.

Highways officers monitor reports daily and assess whether the locations are suitable for action. Providing detailed information, such as accurate locations, clear photographs, and measurements – where practical and safe to do so – greatly streamline the response process.

It helps the teams assess and resolve issues more efficiently, reducing the need for repeat visits and ensuring that resources are used effectively to deliver timely improvements.

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The council’s Strategic Plan 2025-28 sets out a vision for shaping strong and connected communities, healthy places to live, and a thriving local economy that benefits everyone.

It details nine headline projects with specific goals in areas that residents have said are important to them, from a more responsive approach to road repairs to greater provision for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). The plan was approved at the 4 November meeting of the county council.

Of the nine headline projects, three are focused on a greener Oxfordshire – creating better spaces for residents and visitors in town centres; working with transport partners towards a countywide integrated bus and rail offer; and creating two dedicated highways response teams to tackle issues in priority areas.

Three projects focus on a fairer Oxfordshire – rolling out a network of family hubs; helping people overcome barriers to employment through initiatives like Connect to Work; and supporting young people leaving care into employment.

The final three focus on a healthier Oxfordshire – increasing the number of children who reach a good level of development at age five; delivering more specialist school places for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND); and supporting an expanded and coordinated programme of youth provision.

Councillor Liz Leffman, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Our vision is clear: we want Oxfordshire to be a place where everyone has the opportunity to live well, where communities thrive and where our local economy benefits all of our residents.

“This plan is about delivering meaningful change over the next two years, building on our county’s strengths, tackling the challenges we face and delivering on residents’ priorities.

“We are committed to leading the way on climate action so that communities can enjoy cleaner air, a healthier environment and greater resilience in the face of a changing climate. Significant progress has already been made, but we know there is much more to do in this, the defining challenge of our time.

“Fairness is at the heart of our approach. Oxfordshire is a prosperous county but not everyone shares this. We are determined that everyone should be able to access the opportunities our county has to offer.

“Health and wellbeing underpin everything we do. We want all of our residents to be happy, healthy and safe. Our plan sets out how we will work with NHS partners, the voluntary sector and local communities to help children get the best start in life, create opportunities for young people to reach their full potential, and support older people to age well and stay independent for as long as possible.”

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Organised by Tallulah Allmond, Team Leader in the Adult Social Care team at Oxfordshire County Council, the exhibition showcased a wide range of artwork and handmade crafts created by people supported across Oxfordshire’s CSS centres.

The event featured:

• Pottery creations from Abingdon and Witney CSS, crafted during sessions led by pottery tutor Kerry.
• Woodburning (pyrography) and mixed media artwork from Abingdon CSS.
• Paintings and drawings from Oxford CSS.
• Handmade crafts from Wantage CSS.

The exhibition was a collaborative effort, with staff and people supported by CSS playing key roles in running the event.

Attendees were warmly welcomed, and those supported by CSS managed the pottery and cake sale tables, served refreshments, and proudly spoke about their work. Many had created additional pottery items specifically for sale, which proved popular with visitors.

The event drew visitors from community support services across Oxfordshire, OCC staff based at the Abbey Centre, and members of the public.

Feedback from the day was overwhelmingly positive.

Catherine Leeson, Team Leader at Oxford CSS, said: “It was so nice to be able to purchase some of the pottery items and I am very pleased with the little trinket dish which I bought.”

Lucille Vaughan, who attends Abingdon CSS, said: “The art exhibition was really good, and I felt proud to see my artwork on display. I met and talked to new people. I liked seeing all the other day centres’ work. A massive thank you to Tallulah for her hard work.”

Councillor Tim Bearder, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Events like this showcase the incredible creativity and community spirit within our support services. It’s inspiring to see people come together to celebrate talent, inclusion and the power of art to connect us.”

Looking ahead, CSS teams are gearing up for a festive Christmas Art and Craft Exhibition on 1 December. Handmade items will be available to purchase, with proceeds supporting CSS centres. The event will also feature an award ceremony for winners of the county-wide Christmas card competition.

Photos from the exhibition and further updates can be found on the Abingdon CSS Facebook page.

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People living in, working in and visiting Abingdon are invited to share their feedback on proposals to make walking, wheeling and cycling safer and easier along the town’s East St Helen Street, in a survey open until 28 October.

Oxfordshire County Council has drafted the proposals working with local groups including UK active travel charity Sustrans. The proposals will create safer routes for walking, wheeling and cycling across the area, including facilitating two-way cycling along East St Helen Street.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “As well as providing essential safety improvements for people traveling around Abingdon, this work would connect a missing link in a major national cycle route between the Thames Valley and Wales.

“We need to reduce the number of cars on the road in Oxfordshire, and projects like this one enable healthier, more connected, and more accessible journeys. We want walking, cycling and public transport to work for more people, becoming a natural first choice.

“I encourage people to take a look at our plans and share their thoughts to help us finalise a design that works for residents.”

The plan includes improved cycling facilities on East St Helen Street and new pedestrian crossing facilities on the High Street, Bridge Street and Stert Street.

The scheme proposes:

• Two parallel cycle and pedestrian zebra crossings for the National Cycle Network 5 (NCN5) route between Abbey Close and East St Helen Street. ​
• Provision for contraflow cycling allowing travel in both directions for cyclists on East St Helen Street.
• Two zebra crossings on High Street and Bridge Street.
• Raised tables to prioritise safer walking, wheeling and cycling at the junction between East St Helen Street and Lombard Street.
• Continuous footway providing step-free crossing for pedestrians and slow-turning vehicles.
• New crossings on East St Helen Street and West St Helen Street.
• Planting and cycle parking where possible.

The location has been identified as a priority in the Abingdon Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP).

A survey is available on the county council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire for people to share their feedback on the plan. The survey closes at 11.59pm on Tuesday 28 October 2025.

There will be two drop-in events to view the information and chat to project officers, at Abingdon Guildhall on 11 October from 10am to 3pm and 14 October from 4pm to 7pm.

A report summarising the proposal and feedback from the survey will be presented to the county council’s cabinet member for Transport on whether to proceed at a meeting later this year. If approved, construction of the improvements would start in spring 2026. 

Notes

• The survey is available at: oxfordshire.gov.uk/eaststhelenstreet. 
  Paper copies of the survey can be requested by email to ncn5-cycleroute@oxfordshire.gov.uk or by calling the county council’s customer services team. Residents who wish to write to the council should address their envelope with Freepost OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL as one line in the middle with ‘Abingdon East St Helen St’ written in the top left corner.
• The drop-in events are open to everyone, with no need to book. Information materials shared at the events will also be published online, on Let’s talk Oxfordshire. The events will be held on:
  • Saturday 11 October 2025 from 10am - 3pm in the Old Magistrates’ Court Room, Guildhall, Abbey Close, Abingdon OX14 3JD;
  • and on Tuesday 14 October 2025 from 4pm - 7pm  in the Roysse Room, Guildhall, Abbey Close, Abingdon OX14 3JD.
• The scheme is funded by a UK Government active travel grant of £1,473,679.
• 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.

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Oxfordshire residents, employees, businesses and visitors can view and comment on a draft local cycling and walking infrastructure plan for Eynsham and surrounding villages, incorporating ideas from public feedback.

Earlier this year, Oxfordshire County Council invited people to share their thoughts on issues with the existing walking and cycling provision in Eynsham and the surrounding area, and suggestions for how this could be improved. A draft plan, setting out proposed improvements for local walking and cycling routes over the next 10 years, is now available for comment until 27 October.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We know the importance, and the value of more active daily journeys for wellbeing. We also know how crucial it is that we make the conditions right to allow people the opportunity to make more active travel choices, if they can.

“In June, we asked people to let us know where their day-to-day trips could be improved by making some changes like a wider pavement, a level pathway or a better crossing point.

“These changes, however small, can join up a really effective travel network that we can all benefit from and enjoy, and help more people feel the benefit of daily activity. We are pleased to share the plan resulting from that feedback and look forward to hearing your thoughts on it.”

The plan focuses on positive changes for the village’s walking and cycling network over the next ten years, improving accessibility within Eynsham and connections with the surrounding area. This includes Begbroke, Botley, Cassington, Church Hanborough, Farmoor, Freeland, Long Hanborough, South Leigh, Stanton Harcourt, Swinford and Yarnton.

It also includes plans to link with the planned developments for Salt Cross Garden Village and West Eynsham. A survey is available on the council’s Let’s talk Oxfordshire platform until 27 October 2025.

Ends

Notes to editors

• Paper copies of the survey can be requested by email placeplanningnorth@oxfordshire.gov.uk or by calling the county council’s customer services team. Residents who wish to write to the council should address their envelope with Freepost OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL as one line in the middle with ‘Eynsham LCWIP’ written in the top left corner.
• 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.
• Local cycling and walking infrastructure plans (LCWIP) are designed to:
  • identify cycling and walking infrastructure improvements for future investment in the short, medium and long term;
  • ensure that consideration is given to cycling and walking within local planning and transport policies and strategies; and
  • make a case for future funding for walking and cycling infrastructure.

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Residents are now able to apply for permits ahead of the launch of Oxfordshire County Council’s temporary congestion charge in Oxford, using an online permit registration system.

The county council’s scheme to tackle traffic problems in Oxford in the short-term is planned to start on Wednesday 29 October.

The temporary congestion charge will reduce traffic in the city during Network Rail’s extended closure of Botley Road, making journeys quicker, more connected, more flexible and more reliable. When Botley Road reopens, the council will be able to introduce its traffic filter trial as planned.

Cars with a valid permit will be able to drive free of charge through all six congestion charge locations in Oxford.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management said: “Oxford needs to reduce the number of cars on its roads to thrive. I am delighted that we have now reached this important milestone in implementing the temporary congestion charge in Oxford. Together with the significant reduction in congestion that we will see with the temporary charge, the permits will enable those who need to make trips by car, to do so much more easily.

“Thank you to residents, businesses and partners who have provided us with feedback on this temporary charge, including the consultation in the summer and representations to cabinet earlier in September. We have used this to develop the different types of permits available.”

People driving a car without a permit can pay a £5 daily charge to drive through the charge locations. The charge will be payable only once per day and allows travel through multiple charge locations per day, or any single charge location multiple times per day.

Any vehicle that isn’t a car – for example: van, motorbike and bus – will be automatically exempt from the temporary congestion charge and owners of these vehicles do not need to apply for a permit.

Permits are available for residents, blue badge holders, community health and care workers, mobile traders, patients with frequent hospital visits, and many other groups.

Following the public consultation in the summer, two new permit types were added to the scheme, allowing free travel for members of sports clubs or military training in the Oxford permit area and for pool cars owned and operated by businesses or organisations in the Oxford permit area.

To support their permit application, people are asked to provide evidence of their eligibility, for instance a proof of address, the V5C (logbook) for the car they’re applying for, or valid blue badge. All details are of the requirements for each type of permit are clearly listed on the permit application webpage.

Residents can get help with permit registration or apply by calling customer services on: 01865 519800.

With the money the congestion charge raises, the council will fund better public transport options and more travel connections locally, giving people more choice in how they travel.

Ends

Notes for editors

More information and how to apply online can be found at oxfordshire.gov.uk/congestioncharge
Frequently asked questions about the temporary congestion charge: FAQs 

List of available permit types:

• central permit area resident
• central permit area resident’s visitors
• central permit area workplace parking
• Oxford permit area resident
• Oxfordshire permit area resident
• blue badge holders
• disabled tax class vehicle
• personal car used by a community health or care worker
• organisational shared cars (pool cars)
• school car used for home-to-school transport
• organisational shared cars (“pool cars”)
• unpaid carer
• frequent hospital patient
• disability benefit claimant
• school student with Special Educational Needs (SEN)
• firefighters
• Hackney carriage or private hire vehicle (HCV or PHV)
• car clubs
• business car used as a goods vehicle
• personal car used as goods vehicle
• approved driving instructor
• hearse or funeral car
• central permit area sports clubs, nurseries or military training.

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A temporary congestion charge for cars at six locations in Oxford will begin later this autumn.

The decision was made by the county council’s cabinet at a meeting today (Wednesday, 10 September).

The scheme aims to reduce traffic in the short term while Botley Road remains closed, preventing the start of the traffic filter trial. It is designed to improve bus services and make it easier for those with permits, including carers, traders and blue badge holders, to travel by car into and around Oxford.

A six-week consultation took place on the proposals from 23 June to 3 August, which received over 7,000 responses. Feedback from the consultation helped shape the final proposals presented to cabinet.

Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Oxford needs a more sustainable, reliable and inclusive transport system for everyone. People have told us they want quicker journeys, more reliable bus services, and safer cycling and walking. In order to achieve that we need to reduce the number of cars on our roads. That is what the temporary congestion charge is set to achieve.”

“I’d like to thank everyone who responded to the recent consultation and previous consultations on the traffic filters scheme on which the temporary congestion charge is based. All of the comments have been considered by officers and helped inform the final proposals. We will continue to listen to people’s views and report on how the temporary scheme performs.”

A daily charge of £5 will allow cars without a permit to go through six charge locations on roads in Oxford. This will apply from late autumn when it is expected the scheme will launch. The council aims to have the scheme in place by 10 November.

Permits will be available for certain groups, including community health and care workers, carers, blue badge holders, and mobile traders. 

Following the public consultation in the summer, two new permit types were added to the scheme, allowing free travel for regular users of Oxford Ice Rink and for pool cars owned and operated by businesses or organisations in the Oxford permit area.

Details of the permit application system will be available on our website soon.

Cabinet members asked council officers to review how income generated by the temporary congestion charge should be used, to have the greatest possible impact. This could include other benefits instead of, or as well as, free Park and Ride fares.

More information about the scheme is available on our website.

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Excavation and earthworks start today (3 September) as part of the construction of new south-facing slip roads at Lodge Hill, which only has north-facing slips at present. The scheme will improve connectivity to and from the north of Abingdon, avoiding the town centre and making it easier for people to choose walking, cycling or taking public transport as part of their daily routine.

Early work to set up the site and prepare the area began in May 2025. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of 2026.

To ensure the scheme is built safely, the council’s construction partner, Balfour Beatty, will undertake six different stages of work to minimise disruption.

The first stage involves removing the islands at the junction of the slip roads. This will create more space for construction vehicle access and movement. During this first stage of work, temporary overnight traffic signals will operate between 9pm and 5am on the A4183 and A34 southbound.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “The much-anticipated A34 Lodge Hill scheme will improve capacity at the junction, improving bus and car journeys, as well as making walking and cycling safer in the area.

“This is vital and much-needed investment to support growth in Abingdon. Once complete, it will reduce the amount of through traffic in the town centre, improving the environment for everyone.

“We have all campaigned for this for so long and it is wonderful news that construction has begun.”

Pauline Schaffer, Director of Infrastructure Funding at Homes England, said: “As the Government’s housing and regeneration agency, we want to support public and private sector partners to unlock strategic housing sites where brownfield, infrastructure or land projects face delivery challenges.

“Through the Brownfield Infrastructure Land fund, we’re unlocking 820 much needed new homes in Abingdon with the construction of these key roads. Lodge Hill is a prime example of how we’re working with partners like Oxfordshire County Council to unlock the potential of new homes and regional growth in communities through improving infrastructure.”

Matt Parkes, Project Director at Balfour Beatty, said: “We’re pleased to be partnering with Oxfordshire County Council to deliver the A34 Lodge Hill Interchange scheme. This vital infrastructure project will not only unlock regional economic growth but also transform connectivity for residents and road users. Once complete, it will provide safer, more efficient journeys and support the long-term development of the wider area.”

Details of traffic management throughout construction and more information about the A34 Lodge Hill scheme is available on the council’s website.

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Residents are now able to share their views on Oxfordshire County Council’s proposals for more school streets initiatives, improving walking, wheeling and cycling experiences to some schools in Banbury, Carterton and Didcot. A survey about the proposals is open online at letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/oxfordshire-school-streets until 13 October.

School streets is a popular programme in Oxfordshire, with nine schools so far implementing the temporary road closures around schools for most motor vehicles, during the school’s start and finish times. This creates safer, more welcoming spaces for children and encourages active travel to school, reducing congestion and improving air quality for local residents.

The council is asking for views about school streets proposals for the following schools:

• Banbury – Harriers Banbury Academy
• Carterton – Edith Moorhouse Primary School and St Joseph's Catholic Primary School
• Didcot – Willowcroft Community Primary School and St Birinus Boys School
• Oxford – extending the existing school street for Sandhills Community Primary School in Headington to include Delbush Avenue.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Transport said: “I am exceptionally proud of the success of our school streets programme and the great feedback we get from the schools benefitting from a school street. It’s an example of positive action to create a better environment for our children and young people.

“The benefits of an active journey to school are well known, helping set children up for a day of learning and boosting wellbeing. School streets bring extra safety and enjoyment to the final stretch of the school run.

“I look forward to hearing people’s thoughts on the proposals as this will help to shape the final plans so that they work best for everyone.” 

The county already has nine school streets – in Abingdon, Didcot, Headington, east Oxford, and south Oxford, with Larkrise Primary School in Oxford now benefitting from a 21 per cent reduction in car use for pupil travel to school.

School streets are enforced by automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. Residents on the designated school street, and some other vehicles, are still able to drive through it during times of operation – including emergency vehicles, public service vehicles and blue badge holders.

School streets are developed in collaboration with schools. They contribute to a school’s travel plan, which could also include initiatives such as Bikeability cycling training, and park and stride (where parents and carers who need to drive for that trip can walk into the school street from a designated parking site close by).

Residents can request a paper copy of the survey if required by calling our customer services team who will ask a member of the school streets team to contact you) or emailing us. Residents can also share their views by email.

Notes to editors

• Frequently asked questions about our Oxfordshire school streets proposal
• The school streets programme is part of the council’s countywide Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP). The travel to school policy (Policy number 11, page 53) was approved at the council's cabinet meeting on 21 June 2022. It contributes to its vision to make walking, cycling, public and shared transport the natural first choice for journeys. It supports the 2030 LTCP target of replacing or removing one out of every four current car trips in Oxfordshire. 
• School streets are also a part of the council’s sustainable school travel strategy for promoting sustainable travel to and from school and college across Oxfordshire. This supports its vision to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people by enabling active and sustainable travel to school and college on a safe, ecofriendly Oxfordshire transport system. The sustainable school travel strategy was approved at the council's cabinet meeting on the 17 September 2024.
• More about the school streets initiative on our website:  About School Streets | Oxfordshire County Council 
   

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Oxfordshire County Council’s new cabinet has resumed work on the urgent and pressing issue of congestion on the county’s roads.

In February, Network Rail announced a revised date of August 2026 for the re-opening of Botley Road. The delay means that the traffic filters trial, designed to ease congestion, improve safety and air quality and deliver faster, more reliable buses, could not be introduced in autumn 2024, as planned.

The county council has faced immediate demands to address congestion. Luke Marion, Managing Director of Oxford Bus Company, said congestion was at “emergency levels” and demanded a “Plan B”. Others echoed those calls.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The county council’s cabinet takes these calls for action seriously. We need faster, more regular, cheaper bus services, and we need them now.

“The way to do that is to tackle congestion, which will of course also deliver safer, quieter, cleaner streets, and help key workers and businesses delivering vital services on our roads.

“We acknowledge the calls from our partners in the bus companies to act now, and I look forward to engaging on proposals soon.”

Potential options to improve travel conditions will be discussed by the newly elected county cabinet.

More information

Oxfordshire County Council aims to create a net-zero travel and transport system that enhances quality of life, supports the local economy, and protects the environment. 

Key targets include:

• reducing 1 in 4 car trips by 2030
• achieving a net-zero transport network by 2040
• minimising road fatalities by 2050.

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The enhanced programme began in Wheatley last month. Contractors working on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council are planning to clean nearly 145,000 highway drains, gullies, manholes and catchpits by the end of March 2026.

The £2.6 million programme is taking place after an additional £1.5m investment to improve highway drainage was approved in the council’s 2025 - 26 budget.

Drain cleaning was previously carried out on a four year cycle, although high priority drains – such as those in areas most at risk of flooding and on high-speed roads – were cleaned more regularly.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We recognised the need to improve drainage, especially following the flooding in the county last year caused by exceptionally wet weather.

“This money will be used to empty gullies, carry out improved drainage management, and repair the infrastructure connecting the gullies to the outlets. Improving drainage also helps protect roads by getting water off the surfaces, reducing the risk of potholes forming during freezing weather.”

Waste is removed from the drains using suction pipes and then they are cleaned with jets of water. Some may require digging out by hand if a lot of silt has accumulated.

It is expected that the work will cause minimal disruption, although there might be temporary traffic lights or manually operated stop-go signs in operation if lane or road closures are necessary.

Motorists will be asked to make sure their vehicles are not blocking access to drains when the work is due to take place, and to take care when driving past gully emptying operations.

The cleaning programme is being carried out by specialist operator Drainline on behalf of the council’s principal highway maintenance contractor M Group, previously known as Milestone Infrastructure.

Richard Lovewell, M Group Business Director, said: “We are proud to be working with Oxfordshire County Council and Drainline to deliver this crucial year long programme, which will improve our drainage systems and reduce the risk of flooding and potholes.

“With Drainline’s expert team and specialised tanker fleet, we are well equipped to tackle even the toughest drainage challenges.

“While we've designed the programme to minimise public disruption, I’d like to thank residents and motorists for their cooperation in providing access by moving vehicles. This support is crucial for our teams to perform their vital work, ensuring the safety and durability of Oxfordshire's roads.”

Capacity has almost doubled, with eight gully tankers working on the programme – six 18 tonne vehicles and two 26 tonne jetting tankers. The larger vehicles are used when an issue, such as a blockage, demands high volume or high pressure jetting.

Two of the tankers also work at night when traffic levels are lower, but only on rural roads to avoid disturbing residents.

All tankers are equipped with asset management software that will collect accurate data on all drainage in the county.

The technology also records any drain or gully that cannot be accessed, for example due to a car being parked over it or a stuck cover. This ensures a revisit can be scheduled or repair works prioritised.

A schedule, which can be viewed on the council’s website, is in place for the tankers to travel all around the county to complete the programme. However, the teams will still react to urgent incidents of blockages or flooding.

The council does recycle what it can from the waste. Using purpose built de-watering bays at its depot in Drayton, near Abingdon, water is removed and filtered. The de-watered gully waste is then dried, screened and graded, recovering as much of the original waste as possible and removing any non-recyclable contaminants.

These recycled materials can then potentially be used in highways work as filler material for resurfacing, topsoil replacement, or be fed into the production of recycled aggregates, subject to appropriate material and chemical testing results and stakeholder agreement.

Residents can report blocked drains and gullies through Fix My Street, which is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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Cassington based Mixergy, an organisation that produces smart cylinders to maximise efficiency and reduce energy bills in the home, was a recipient of the King’s Award for innovation.

Meanwhile, Beadlight, a company in Witney that produces lighting and touchscreens for aviation, and Intralink, an international business development consultancy based in Abingdon, received awards for excellence in international trade.

His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of Oxfordshire, Marjorie Neasham Glasgow BEM, who will be presenting the awards on behalf of the King, said: “I am delighted that these three Oxfordshire based businesses should be recognised for their outstanding achievement in the categories of innovation and international trade. The King’s Award for Enterprise is considered the UK’s most prestigious accolade for businesses around the country. Congratulations.”

The King’s Awards for Enterprise, previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, were renamed in 2023 to reflect His Majesty The King’s commitment to continuing the legacy of HM Queen Elizabeth II in recognising outstanding British businesses.
 

Now into its 59^th year, the programme celebrates businesses that represent the best of British enterprise in the following categories: 

• innovation
• international trade
• sustainable development
• promoting opportunity through social mobility

Awards are valid for five years.

Those who receive an award are given a Grant of Appointment and commemorative crystal trophy, use of The King’s Awards flag and use of the emblem on marketing materials, and an invitation to a royal reception.

Anyone wishing to apply for the award in 2026 should visit the King’s Awards website, and apply before 9 September this year.

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Kym and Roger Garnett are much like any other Oxfordshire couple. They live on a quiet road in Banbury, in a spacious well kept house.

But for the last 27 years, the Garnetts have been part of Oxfordshire County Council’s Shared Lives programme, seeing them open their home to adults with additional care needs, offering them a place to stay and grow their independence.

And at a ceremony last night (Tuesday 29 April) at Frilford Heath Golf Club near Abingdon, Kym and Roger were given an award celebrating their long service by Oxfordshire County Council Chief Executive, Martin Reeves.

Martin said: “For almost three decades Kym and Roger have selflessly opened their home to offer adults with additional needs a place to live happily and independently.

“The difference they have made to the people they have shared their lives with should not be underestimated and it is a privilege to be able to celebrate their kindness and dedication with them.”

Roger and Kym became Shared Lives carers in June 1998. Roger had previously been employed as a support worker with the NHS learning disability team and has many years of experience supporting adults with additional needs, with a specialism for people with autism.

They are able to support up to three people at any one time, for long and short-term stays as well as providing accommodation for adults needing immediate support with little notice period.

Martin added: “Kym and Roger have been able to offer tailored support for people when they have needed it most. Whether that was a fixed place to stay to give someone the continuity they needed or a roof over their head when a person found themselves in immediate need, the Garnetts have opened their door and welcomed them in.”

Kym and Roger are both advanced first aiders and have significant support from the county council’s Shared Lives team, ensuring they have the latest guidance and training.

On receiving the award, Roger said: “Shared Lives is a very special programme. While there are some challenging times, we get just as much from the scheme as the people living with us.

“We learn from each other and laugh with each other and it is a real joy to see the people staying with us grow their independence.”

Roger and Kym have also been shortlisted for a long-term service award at next month’s Oxfordshire Care Awards. The event recognises excellence in the region’s care sector, with the ceremony taking place at Blenheim Palace on Tuesday 6 May.

Shared Lives plays an important role in the council’s Oxfordshire Way vision, by supporting people to live happily and independently withing their communities, reducing the need for more formal care.

Shared Lives carers come from all walks of life, from different backgrounds and live in all kinds of homes. You can earn up to £500 a week by supporting someone at home and fit it around your life and work commitments.

If you think you could support an adult with additional needs, you can find out more about the programme at oxfordshire.gov.uk/sharedlives or calling 01865 897971.

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A care team that provides a unique hybrid approach to supporting adults with additional needs has been nominated for a prestigious local award.

Oxfordshire County Council’s community partnership team provides traditional building-based activities from Mayott House in Abingdon while also delivering outreach support across the county, for adults identified as needing more one to one, personalised care.

They have now been nominated in the care team category at next month’s Oxfordshire Care Awards.

Bianca Moss is the Community Partnership Team Manager at Oxfordshire County Council and said: “We really are unique in our approach to providing care. Unlike more formal services, we are given the flexibility to offer a range of activities in different locations, that really make a difference to the people we support.”

The community partnership team was developed in response to the social distancing challenges of the COVID pandemic, when people were unable to visit community support services due to lockdown restrictions.

Instead of basing themselves from a council community support service building, the team instead worked with extra care housing providers, bpha, to provide a more traditional day care support in the form of a café for residents and visitors at Mayott House, Abingdon.

Alongside this, countywide outreach support can be offered to adults identified as most in need, including people with mental health concerns associated with loneliness and depression.

Bianca said: “We are the only team I’m aware of able to offer this holistic, individualised support, as well as our building-based care. Whether it’s bingo or knit and natter at Mayott House, supporting someone to attend a GP appointment or help decluttering their house, our small team has the autonomy to think differently and put the person they are supporting at the very heart of what they do.”

The community partnership team has now been recognised for its work by being shortlisted for the team of the year at the Oxfordshire Care Awards.

The prestigious awards recognise excellence in the local care sector and will take place at Blenheim Palace on Tuesday 6 May.

Karen Fuller, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director of Adult Social Care, said: “Our community partnership team embodies our Oxfordshire Way approach to support people to live well and independently within their own communities.

“This is only made possible by the partnership we have formed with housing providers bpha, as well as by working with The Order of St John Care Team, who provide care and support at Mayott House.

“With their backing, our small and creative community partnership team can offer the flexibility needed to provide this unique, hybrid model of support for our residents.”

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But the 36 year old, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome in her teens, is now thriving, working for Oxfordshire County Council’s in-house print company, County Print Finishers, which specialises in offering accessible employment to people who are experiencing a disability or long term health concern.

Jenny spent ten years after leaving secondary school in a mixture of part-time and full-time further education settings, including specialist colleges for people with autism.

She initially worked for the family’s MOT service business as a bookkeeper and a garage assistant. Jenny said: “No two days were the same at the garage. The business was going for 52 years before my dad and uncle retired and I lost my job. In the same year, my mum was diagnosed with breast cancer. It was a really difficult time for me.”

After months of supporting her mother’s recovery, Jenny felt it was time to try and find a permanent job, but with funding being reduced from the charity that was supporting her, she was put in touch with Oxfordshire Employment to help her find the job she wanted.

Oxfordshire Employment is the county council’s service that works with people who have additional needs, understanding their individual skills and supporting them to find and maintain a job that’s right for them.

For Jenny, her stand out organisational skills, which she learnt during her time as a bookkeeper, and natural attention to detail were a clear advantage to any employer looking for reliable and hardworking staff.

And after receiving some interview training and support with her CV, Jenny was offered casual work with a party entertainment business, before earning a position at County Print Finishers in February 2020.

Having started in a part-time role, Jenny worked her way up in the company and is now a full-time grade five workforce associate, which is something she very much enjoys.

She said: “I have quite a lot of responsibility here. I look after a production line that does things like the relabelling of goods, making them ready to sell in shops. I make sure there aren’t any mistakes and keep the production line flowing. My aim is to one day be a supervisor.”

Jenny is an integral part of the County Print Finishers team, based in Osney Mead in Oxford. As well as making sure the production line operates smoothly, she’s recently gained her forklift truck licence and is working towards even more qualifications to help her continue to progress her career.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, said: “Jenny story of resilience and determination is truly inspiring. She has overcome a number of barriers to find and maintain full-time work and while Oxfordshire Employment has given her outstanding support, it’s Jenny’s hard work and aspirational attitude that’s really led to her success.

“She is a wonderful example of how people from a range of backgrounds, with unique skills and dedication, can bring value and diversity to Oxfordshire’s workforce.”

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Oxfordshire County Council is asking for feedback on ideas that have been developed, and inviting suggestions on new ones, for the future of the city’s streets and squares as part of a Central Oxfordshire Movement and Place Framework project. 

The project aims to improve a number of public spaces, support a shift to more walking, cycling and public transport, and improve access to green spaces and water. It builds on the success of recent public realm transformations in Broad Street and Market Street, as well as ongoing improvement works on St Michael’s Street. 

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “This project is about imagining the Oxford that puts people first. Suggested improvements will be made possible by our plans to reduce traffic and congestion across the city, and these options show how we could create safer streets with more greenery and space for socialising.”

An initial list of locations that could benefit from improvements has been identified, including Carfax junction, St Giles’, Hythe Bridge Street, Little Clarendon Street and Summertown, among others. Improvements have been suggested for reclaiming street space for more creative uses such as enhanced paving, seating, play spaces and greenery; relocating pick up and drop off points for tourist buses; how buses move around and services connect together; school traffic; and how junctions work. 

This list of options has been developed in collaboration with local resident groups, civic organisations, public transport operators, landowners and transport user groups. 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, added: “We have worked in partnership to develop an initial list of ideas. This is not set in stone but, so we can be ready to make improvements when opportunities present themselves, we want to have early conversations to check if we’re moving in the right direction. I’m looking forward to hearing if the suggested opportunities are the right ones and what other ideas residents have for the future of our beautiful city.”

The Central Oxfordshire Movement and Place Framework project is funded by the government’s Housing and Growth Deal and aims to improve the way public realm is planned and managed by considering transport, planning and regeneration opportunities at the same time.

Initial suggestions are available for review at letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/compf, with a survey open until 23 March 2025. 

A full report, including public feedback, will be published later this spring. Individual schemes will be taken forward as funding opportunities arise and will be subject to further public engagement and design work.

More information

This project is one of the measures in the Central Oxfordshire Travel Plan, which sets out actions towards a sustainable and reliable travel and transport system for the area.

Artist impression of St Giles’ (Oxford) with improved facilities for pedestrians, cyclists and bus users. 

Artist impression of Carfax junction (Oxford), with widened pavements, more greenery and safer crossings. 

Artist impression of Queen Street (Oxford) with improved benches and greenery. 

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^{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.

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The proposal to create a series of ‘greenways’ – high-quality paths in urban or natural areas prioritised for pedestrians and cyclists – comes from a joint project being developed by Oxfordshire County Council, Oxford City Council and the University of Oxford.

The aim is to create a network of safe, convenient and well-connected cycling and walking routes linking surrounding towns, villages and future economic development sites with Oxford city centre and other key employment, cultural and economic locations.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “Many people who want to walk or cycle more, for their health, wellbeing or to save money, are often put off by having to share the space with motor vehicles. Some of our towns and villages have no safe options at all, despite their close proximity to Oxford.

“That’s why the Oxford greenways project is so important. I would urge as many people as possible to take part in the consultation so that we can prioritise and design routes where they will make the biggest difference.”

The consultation runs until Tuesday 18 March. To take part, visit Let’s talk Oxfordshire.

Councillor Louise Upton, Oxford City Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Cycling Champion, said: “In order to encourage more people to walk and cycle into Oxford for work, studying, entertainment or shopping, we need to provide them with safer and more accessible routes.

“This engagement is a chance for pedestrians and cyclists to share their feedback on six proposed greenways. These new routes are designed to promote healthier and safer options as people travel across Oxford and Oxfordshire.

“I encourage everyone interested in cycling to participate – whether you're an experienced cyclist or someone who wants to start cycling.”

A first set of greenways is proposed to connect Oxford with areas including Woodstock, Otmoor, Wootton near Abingdon, Kingston Bagpuize, Kennington, Botley and Wytham.

David Prout, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Planning & Resources) at Oxford University, said: “Safe walking and cycling routes between Oxford and its surrounding towns and villages would be a massive boost for everyone living and working in Oxford. We are very pleased to have been part of this study and hope its recommendations will be implemented.”

The Oxford greenways project began in 2020 but was put on hold due to the pandemic. Feedback from the latest consultation and other engagement events will help inform the development of a delivery plan.

Initial funding is in place for design of the first set of greenways. However, route construction and further design development of the proposed network – which could improve links to around 60 towns and villages – would require successful funding bids and grant allocations.

Greenways schemes will be developed alongside other improvements to cycle routes around the county, including National Cycling Network routes, Oxfordshire’s Strategic Active Travel Network, and area and corridor travel plans within the Local Transport and Connectivity Plan.

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People living or travelling in Chipping Norton are being asked to help shape a draft plan to make walking, wheeling, and cycling easier, safer, and more enjoyable for everyone.

Oxfordshire County Council has worked with Chipping Norton Town Council and local residents, businesses and community organisations to draft the active travel plan for Chipping Norton. The plan will set out how to improve the town’s walking and cycling network over the next 10 years, identifying where things like cycleways and pedestrian crossings should be added or improved.

People can view the draft plan and area maps, and have their say at: letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/chipping-norton-lcwip until 27 February 2025.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Getting around our local neighbourhoods should be simple and enjoyable and there should be multiple options for making safe journeys to where we want to get to.

“We want to improve the travel network to help people have better opportunities for walking, wheeling, or cycling. It brings great benefits for health and wellbeing while helping to improve air quality in the county.

“I’m looking forward to feedback to help us understand where things work, where there are challenges and tailor the plan so that is the best fit for residents. We also realise that walking or cycling is not necessarily an option for everyone and would like to hear from people who find it more difficult to move around the area.”

The plan’s vision for Chipping Norton is a thriving town with good air quality, where walking for local trips is the norm for everyone, where possible. This is supported by safe, accessible, and connected walking and cycling routes between residential areas, the historic town centre, schools, public open spaces and local services and facilities.

The final version of the plan, incorporating amendments reflecting the feedback received, will then go through a process at Oxfordshire County Council that will allow it to be formally adopted as council policy. This will help get funding to improve walking and cycling in Chipping Norton and the surrounding area.

Ends

For more information about this release contact the Oxfordshire County Council communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Notes to editors

• 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.
• The active travel plan for Chipping Norton is a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). LCWIPs are designed to:
  • identify cycling and walking infrastructure improvements for future investment in the short, medium and long term
  • ensure that consideration is given to cycling and walking within local planning and transport policies and strategies
  • make a case for future funding for walking and cycling infrastructure.

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The Chancellor Rachel Reeves has unveiled plans for an Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor that it is reported will boost the UK economy by up to £78 billion by 2035. Lord Patrick Vallance is to be appointed as Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor Champion

Cllr Liz Leffman, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: We particularly welcome the investment in East-West Rail, which is so important for connectivity across the Oxford to Cambridge corridor. As is well known our ambition at the county council is to see greater investment in our rail infrastructure locally and regionally to boost connectivity and productivity. But we also need urgent action to fix our crumbling water and sewage system, and improve the electricity grid, if the region is to flourish.

“We look forward to working with Lord Patrick Vallance in his new role, alongside our partners in Oxfordshire and neighbouring areas, to enable our county and the wider region to reach its full potential.  

“One aspect of the announcement which will cause concern locally is the mention of a new reservoir near Steventon. We know that this is opposed by the majority of local people and has been questioned and scrutinised at many levels over a long period of time.”

Oxfordshire County Council and St. Modwen, the master developer for the Kingsgrove housing development, have worked together to construct the new route that extends between the A417 east of Wantage, and the A338 north of Wantage. This provides easier travel for both residents of the Kingsgrove housing development and visitors to the area.

A three-metre wide path for walking and cycling runs along the length of the road, while the original entrance to the Kingsgrove development is now for pedestrians, cyclists and buses only.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “Wantage is a historic market town that has seen, and will continue to see, significant growth in much-needed new homes and associated community facilities. The need for this scheme was established long before planning approval was obtained, and I am delighted that the entire route is now open.

“King Alfred Way will encourage active travel through the provision of high-quality pedestrian and cycle facilities, together with opportunities for travel by bus. It is also expected to help reduce congestion and noise levels, and improve air quality, within Wantage town centre.

“The opening of the road is reflective of the commitment, hard work and successful collaboration between the county council and St Modwen – together with suppliers working on behalf of both parties.”

Thomas Snell, Development Manager at St. Modwen, said: "We’re incredibly proud to have played a central role in delivering the new road, a project that not only enhances local infrastructure but also supports our growing Kingsgrove community.

“By improving connectivity and prioritising sustainable travel options, this road reflects our commitment to creating thriving, future-ready places where people can live, work, and enjoy their surroundings.”

Officially opened by Olly Glover, MP for Wantage and Didcot and Councillor Iain Cameron, Deputy Mayor of Wantage, the link’s new title – King Alfred Way – commemorates Wantage’s royal history. The name pays tribute to King Alfred the Great, who was born in Wantage in 849, and who is the inspiration for the name of the Kingsgrove community – referencing Alfred’s apple orchards, which once covered the area.

Olly Glover, MP for Wantage and Didcot said: “Residents in Wantage and beyond have been eagerly awaiting the opening of this road for some time, following some delays. I am pleased to see it open and hope it will be of benefit to all road users in the coming months and years.”

Ends

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The road, north of Wardington, was closed by Oxfordshire County Council on Monday after the sinkhole appeared in the centre of the carriageway. Emergency diversion routes were immediately put into place.

Following visits to the site by inspectors, the council’s contractors are planning to begin repair work today. It is hoped that the road can be opened and the repairs completed by the end of the month, depending on what is found once water is pumped out and excavation work starts.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “This is an extremely busy road, which is why we have made it a priority to have a repair programme in place within days.

“We will reopen the road as soon as it is safe to do so. We hope this will be by the end of December but, unfortunately, there are no guarantees when it comes to work of this nature. In the meantime, we would urge motorists to follow the diversion routes that are in place to ensure everyone’s safety.”

The suggested diversion route is between A423 Southam Road and the A425 Daventry Road.

It is believed that the sinkhole is a result of the recent flooding of the River Cherwell, causing washout of fill to affect a brick water pipe (culvert) running under the road. The most recent inspection of the culvert by the council’s highways teams, carried out before the flooding, showed no cause for concern in the culvert’s condition.

The washed out material has blocked the watercourse, submerging the culvert. The water will be pumped out to enable the culvert to be inspected, so that the full extent of required repairs can be determined.

The culvert may need to be temporarily replaced by a pipe to enable the sinkhole to be backfilled and the road reopened while a longer term repair is planned.

Cllr Gant added: “This is a pretty stark example of the kind of pressure our large and rural road network is experiencing from extreme weather. I am very grateful to our officers and contractors for getting out on site as soon as possible to put a plan in place for mitigation and repair.”

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The project has provided much needed pedestrian crossings, a continuous, widened cycle and footpath, and a southbound bus lane on the A44 between the two roundabouts, a total distance of approximately two kilometres. 

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “It’s great to see the new crossings and cycle and pedestrian paths, which make walking, cycling and wheeling much safer and more comfortable on this major route. With the new bus lane, these works are part of our commitment to prioritise the health and wellbeing of residents and invest in an inclusive, integrated and sustainable transport network.” 

The project is part of county council’s north Oxford corridor improvements programme, which provides transport infrastructure to support the expected housing growth across Cherwell. 

Improvements along the A44 and the two roundabouts include:

• A new parallel crossing on Cassington Road at the junction with the A44.
• A new signalised toucan crossing on the A44 to the north of Cassington Road.
• A new continuous, widened pedestrian and cycle path on the western side of the A44.
• A new dedicated southbound bus lane.
• New bus stops near Couling Close.
• A new footpath on the eastern side of the A44.
• New and improved informal crossing facilities.
• Improved street and footpath lighting.
• Maintenance and strengthening to rail bridge slab structure.
• New signalised crossings on the Pear Tree interchange.
• Additional traffic lanes on Pear Tree interchange to improve bus journey times., and
• Tie-in with adjacent north Oxford works. 

The project has also provided a new accessible footpath with railings down to the Oxford Canal towpath and involved the planting of over 200 standard trees, 635m2 of shrub planting, 1700m2 woodland mix seeding, 850m2 wildflower grassland and over 2,000m2 of open grassland seeding along the route. 

Improvements to the A44 between the Pear Tree interchange and Cassington Road roundabout have been delivered with the county council’s construction partner Milestone Infrastructure Ltd. 

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An electric car club pilot scheme has proved so popular that 15 vehicles are set to remain in place at more than 10 new and existing locations around the county, following the end of the 18 month trial period.

Since the pilot scheme was launched in April 2023, it has attracted over new 1,200 members, seen over 5,200 individual hiring sessions and led to more than a quarter of a million electric miles being driven.

The scheme has been coordinated by Oxfordshire County Council and is supported by Oxford City Council and Cherwell, South Oxfordshire, Vale of White Horse and West Oxfordshire district councils who have hosted the pilot vehicles in their car parks. The vehicles have been provided and operated by hire companies Co Wheels, Enterprise CarClub and Zimbl.

The success of the extended trial scheme means that car club vehicles are set to continue in the following locations:

• Abingdon – Cattle Market and West St Helen Street car parks (Co Wheels)
• Banbury – Calthorpe Street West and Windsor Street car parks (Zimbl)
• Bicester – Claremont car park (Zimbl)
• Eynsham – Back Lane car park (Co Wheels)
• Henley – Greys Road car park (Co Wheels)
• Oxford – Redbridge and Seacourt Park and Rides (Co Wheels and Zimbl)
• Wallingford – Cattlemarket car park (Co Wheels)
• Witney – Woodford Way car park (Enterprise CarClub).

New car club vehicles are also set to be introduced at these new locations:

• Chipping Norton – New Road car park (Zimbl)
• Woodstock – Hensington Road car park (Zimbl)
• Thame – Upper High Street (Co Wheels).

Councillor Pete Sudbury, Deputy Leader of Oxfordshire County Council with Responsibility for Climate Change, Environment and Future Generations, said: “The popularity of the EV car clubs has led to the continuation of the schemes in many places, meaning even more residents and businesses can try out these shared cars for themselves.

“Car clubs give people the chance to use an EV when they need one, without the expense of owning or leasing one outright. They can make it much more affordable for people who don’t drive every day and provide real-world experience of driving electric without a long-term commitment.”

It is estimated that a successful car club vehicle can take on average 20 individually owned cars – often petrol or diesel vehicles – off the road.

EVs in the scheme can be hired from £5.95 per hour, including insurance, plus 12p per electric mile.

If demand for car clubs continues and funding can be identified, then it’s likely more car club locations will be introduced within the next few years. Residents can submit locations where they would like to car clubs using Oxfordshire County Council’s EV charger and car club demand tracker.

Updated details about the EV car club pilot and where your nearest car club location is can be found on the Oxfordshire County Council website.

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Oxfordshire County Council and its highways maintenance contractor, Milestone Infrastructure, have worked hard to ensure that the county’s roads keep moving and stay safe when the colder weather hits – as it did earlier this week – while also reducing long-term costs and environmental impacts.

The new salt barn at the Deddington highways depot, near Banbury, was built by Ryebridge Construction on behalf of Oxfordshire County Council. The barn keeps road salt in the optimum conditions for spreading, both avoiding wastage and ensuring that the salt is more effective, so smaller quantities can be used.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We are committed to keeping our network of major roads free from ice and snow to minimise the risk of accidents and ensure the smooth flow of traffic. This investment in new equipment and skills demonstrates how serious we are about it.”

The new Deddington barn can hold 2,800 tonnes of road salt, enough to grit over 23,333km of roads. The roof is fitted with solar panels, generating approximately 50kw power for the grid.

With the completion of the salt barn project, there is now no uncovered road salt stored in Oxfordshire, putting the county ahead of many other local authorities. Oxfordshire has a 5,500 tonne capacity salt barn at the Drayton highways depot, near Abingdon, which was opened in 2018, and a 2,200 tonne capacity barn sited at the Woodcote winter depot in south Oxfordshire.

With more than 10,000 tonnes of salt stored across the county, the council's winter maintenance team is more prepared than ever.

Oxfordshire’s winter preparations have also been boosted by the arrival of a new fleet of gritting vehicles, consisting of 16 26 tonne trucks, 11 18 tonne vehicles, two 7.5 tonne trucks and one 3.5 tonne ‘baby gritter’, to treat very narrow roads and the park and rides. In total, 30 vehicles are stationed at three winter depots across the county, ready for when the temperatures drop.

The winter service crew of 60 highly skilled drivers have all undertaken familiarisation sessions to get them used to the new trucks and some drivers have also completed additional skid pan training at a specialist training centre in Hampshire.

Richard Lovewell, Milestone Infrastructure Business Director said: “Keeping Oxfordshire’s roads safe and mobile throughout the winter is a top priority for Milestone. With Oxfordshire County Council, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to ensure that the county is well prepared, no matter what the weather holds.

“With the new salt barn and gritter fleet, over 10,000 tonnes of salt in stock and 60 expert drivers on standby across the county, we’re all set for when the temperatures drop. Thanks to all the staff who have gone above and beyond to ensure we are ‘winter ready’ and especially to those who go out every year in challenging conditions to keep our network moving.”

Oxfordshire County Council salts approximately 42 per cent of Oxfordshire’s road network, one of the highest rates in the country.

While Oxford City Council looks after the gritting inside the Oxford ring road, Oxfordshire County Council has responsibility for the rest of the county – including all A roads, B roads and some C roads, apart from the M40, A43 and A34, which are covered by National Highways.

Gritter drivers treat 26 routes across the county in each gritting session, covering over 3,500km in total, of which 1,960km (1,200 miles) are salted – that’s the equivalent of travelling from London to Iceland.

Cllr Gant added: “While we make great efforts to keep roads clear in winter, drivers must never assume that a road will be free from ice and should adjust their driving to suit the conditions. If you do find yourself behind one of our gritter lorries, which are restricted to 30mph when they are carrying out their work, please be patient and considerate – remember that they are there to keep you safe.”

Last winter, which was relatively mild, the gritters were sent out 25 times between November 2023 and March 2024, with around 4,523 tonnes of salt spread on Oxfordshire's roads. The average number of treatments over the past six years is 37.

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The council is creating the habitat, along with installing mammal culverts and an otter tunnel, as part of the construction of the south westerly section of the road. It will be on land set aside for a flood compensation area and will have the added benefit of improving flood resilience for local buildings and roads by holding excess water.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “The wetland habitat is going to increase biodiversity hugely. It will attract a whole range of wildlife, provide food for foraging birds and small mammals as well as flowers for insects in the spring. It will also offer cover for nesting birds and shelter for hibernation.

“Access to the wildlife wetland area will be open to the public, so local residents will be able to enjoy walking along gravel paths and watching as it matures over time."

The area will be planted with a mix of meadow grassland, semi mature native trees including black alder, silver birch and Scots pine and shrubs such as elder, wild privet, blackthorn and hawthorn. The species will complement existing habitats with some species able to tolerate wetter conditions around the flood compensation area.

Wildlife-friendly structures – eight precast concrete culvert boxes with integral mammal shelves – have now been craned and secured into place beneath the new road layout. The new culverts will drain water away from the road during heavy rainfall and flooding and the mammal shelves have been set into the side walls of the culvert at a higher level to provide a safe passage for badgers and other wildlife.

A precast concrete pipe for an otter tunnel has also been placed adjacent to Elm Bridge and Lady Brook, again set in at a higher ground level than the existing brook, to allow mammals to safely move around the area when the brook is flooded.

Councillor Roberts added: “These specialised construction elements used on this scheme, will help reduce our impact on the environment and provide mammals with refuge during extreme weather events.”

Ecological surveys conducted in late November 2023 as well as back in 2021, found badgers, otters and water voles in the vicinity, alongside red kites, bats and other birds.

Richard Stonehouse, Contracts Manager at Milestone Infrastructure, said: “Milestone is proud to be working alongside Oxfordshire County Council to help protect wildlife and provide a new wetland habitat. We understand the impact that road improvement works can have but our aim is to improve the overall local biodiversity.

“That’s why we have carefully designed and created the mammal culverts and otter tunnel, and we hope that the new wetland habitat will be enjoyed by local residents and wildlife alike.”

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Oxfordshire County Council, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (OFRS), the University of Oxford and Thames Valley Police (TVP) are teaming up to hold the Vision Zero safety event in Broad Street on Monday 4 November from 10am - 7pm.

Visitors will be able to explore a range of stalls offering safety advice and information, aimed at helping to protect the most vulnerable road users. Once darkness starts to fall, OFRS and TVP will carry out their ‘Be Bright Be Seen’ operations, educating cyclists putting themselves and others at risk by riding without lights.

Andy Ford, Road Safety Manager at Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service, said: “There are many reasons why cyclists and pedestrians can become involved in road collisions. However, by ensuring they have lights, and wear bright clothing, we can easily improve their visibility to other road users and reduce the risk they will be hit by drivers.”

The Be Bright Be Seen campaign stand will be open throughout the event, offering free bike lights and hi-viz clothing, while the community policing teams will be giving away free bike locks and offering bike safety and security advice, and information about the laws around e-scooters and e-bikes.

Cycling campaign group Cyclox will be there, as well as an HGV, supplied by Huws Gray, to help people to understand where blind spots occur in the cab.

There will also be innovative cycle safety systems on display, such as the FHOSS cycle lane and the Oxford Robotics Institute RobotBike which is carrying out trials in Oxford to monitor safety in overtaking cyclists, as well as information about cycle training.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “Vision Zero is our ambition to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on Oxfordshire’s roads by 2050. No person should be killed or seriously injured as the result of a road collision, whatever mode of transport they are using.

“Education is a key part of this, whether you’re a motorist, a cyclist, or a pedestrian – or all three. So, it’s great to see so many organisations coming together in Broad Street to share advice and information that could help prevent lives from being lost on our roads.”

The University of Oxford will be providing a mobile mechanic from 10am - 4pm to carry out cycle safety checks and minor repairs for all visitors on a first come first served basis. The service is free, but users will have to pay for any parts.

Dr David Prout, Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University of Oxford, said: “The cyclists, scooter users and pedestrians being hurt on the roads are our friends, colleagues, students and family members; every death or injury is a tragedy that could and should have been prevented.

“Our goal is streets that are truly safe for everyone, and to reach it we need the whole community to work together, from individuals and families to the councils, universities and emergency services. We hope this event makes a real difference to keeping people out of harm's way, no matter how they choose to get around Oxford.”

Sergeant Pete Neale of the Oxford Central Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “Thames Valley Police, in partnership with our local agencies, is dedicated to making bike safety more accessible and promoting safer riding habits in our community.

“Officers from the Neighbourhood Team will be present at the event to educate cyclists on best practices for safe riding. Additionally, we’ll be offering advice and providing security equipment to help protect bikes and reduce the risk of theft.”

The Broad Street event comes shortly after the Thames Valley Police and Crime Commissioner, Matthew Barber, published a road safety strategy to reduce deaths on the roads in the region, including Oxfordshire.

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This significant funding boost from Homes England and the Department for Transport will enable the council to provide infrastructure for better bus travel and safer walking and cycling for many thousands of people who travel along the A40 between Eynsham Park and Ride and Oxford.

The council’s proposed scheme includes a new junction that will connect to the new park and ride at Eynsham, enabling it to become operational, new bus lanes, and upgraded walking and cycling facilities. These will all make a difference to the commutes of current and future residents, as well as visitors to Oxford, by opening up new travel options and making journeys safer and faster.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “We are happy to have received the support of Homes England and the Department for Transport for our plan. This investment is a crucial step towards improving the overall travel experience along the A40 in West Oxfordshire. 

“We are prioritising improvements to bus travel here, as well as walking and cycling infrastructure to help create a more sustainable, healthier and connected county. This project could really bring a step change in travel for those who live in, work in and visit West Oxfordshire and for people using the A40 between Witney, Eynsham and Oxford.”  

The proposed project is in line with the council's vision for a greener, healthier, more accessible county. Together with the park and ride site at Eynsham, the planned bus lanes and active travel facilities are expected to help support the provision of new homes in the West Oxfordshire area.  

The current scheme designs come after an extensive review of the A40 improvements programme due to continued high inflation and construction cost increases since 2020. Despite the challenge of global inflationary pressures, the council has worked with the government to secure the funding, adapting the programme's design and phasing its delivery to provide upgrades to travel in this area. Future planned phases of work can be provided when further funding has been sourced.

The funding secured for the scheme comes from the Department for Transport’s retained Local Growth Fund and Homes England’s Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF).  

With this funding approval in place, the county council must now prepare to apply for planning permission. Accompanying this process, the council will be planning a number of engagement opportunities for the public to review the plans in detail from November 2024.

Subject to planning permission, construction could start in early 2026 and last for two years.

More Information

The council will seek planning permission for the whole scheme between Eynsham Park and Ride and Wolvercote. Subject to permission, the scheme will then be delivered in phases according to the agreed funding. The approved funding will allow delivery of Phase 1, while future phases may be funded by other parties that the county council is currently negotiating with. 

Phase 1 of the scheme includes

• Constructing a new junction onto the A40 to bring the Eynsham park and ride into use
• A bus lane eastbound between the new Eynsham park and ride and Cassington Junction, a bus lane eastbound from Duke’s Cut Bridge to tie-into the existing Oxford North Junction bus lane and a westbound bus lane at Cassington Junction and then up to the Eynsham park and ride, focused on the parts of the route where buses and their passengers will get the most journey time savings
• A continuous, upgraded walking and cycling path between Eynsham park and ride and Cassington Junction on the south side of the A40. An upgraded walking and cycling path on the north side of the A40 between Eynsham park and ride and Lower Road Roundabout
• Localised upgrades of the walking and cycling path on the south side of the A40 between Cassington Junction and Wolvercote  
• New signal-controlled crossings at points along the A40 corridor to make walking and cycling safer and more enjoyable.  

The archaeological investigations were undertaken of behalf of Oxfordshire County Council in preparation for the new A34 interchange at Lodge Hill.  Discoveries included deeply buried sediments from the area’s ancient river systems dating back to the Middle Pleistocene period and some flint tools, reflecting early human presence from this era.

Experts from Oxford Archaeology, commissioned by the councils’ contractor, Balfour Beatty, dug 16 trial trenches, 12 test pits and two boreholes. The work was part of a planning condition to explore any potential archaeological remains and any ancient sediments that would be affected by the new interchange. 

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: Archaeological investigations like this are an important part of the process of delivering construction schemes. They help us identify and understand past features and residents of the area and record them for future generations. 

“Oxfordshire has a fascinating history – not just its people, but its geology too. These remains offer a glimpse into the ancient ecosystems that existed here during the interglacial periods.”

 Excavations found evidence of the Lodge Hill Channel, an ancient river system that crosses the site in a southwest to northeast direction. This channel, which is buried beneath a younger layer of gravel, has silty sediments up to 5m deep in places, with remains of ancient fossil material such as snail shells, fish bones and plant matter in its deeper parts. A piece of a Palaeolithic flint handaxe was also found from deposits that directly overlap the ancient channel fill.   

The channel deposits at Lodge Hill are probably part of the same river system as similar deposits found nearby, also in north Abingdon, where Sugworth Lane crosses the A34. The Sugworth Lane deposits have been recognised as of national significance for their fossil faunal remains, which contains an extinct species of vole.

Although no major archaeological remains were identified in the trenches, a few flint artefacts were also found that reflect later prehistoric human activity at the site. Three worked flints were found, probably from the Neolithic to Bronze Age periods.  

The archaeological evaluation also revealed a few undated features, including two small pits, a linear ditch, and a series of postholes, likely of post-medieval or modern origin, along with quantities of Roman pottery and medieval tile fragments. 

Carl Champness, Project Manager for Oxford Archaeology said: “The discovery of a rare lower-middle age handaxe and the interglacial channel deposits at Lodge Hill dating between 600,000-500,000 years ago may provide new insights into a lost landscape. This is only the start of the story, and we hope planned further investigation and detailed analysis of these remains, will help enhance our understanding of the early occupation of Britain.” 

Francis Wenban-Smith of University of Southampton, Palaeolithic specialist for Oxford Archaeology, said: “These are very exciting finds. Artefactual evidence of this period is exceptionally rare in the Upper Thames landscape north of the Goring Gap. The presence of flint tools gives an insight into the mobility of these ancient humans, since flint raw material would not have been available at the site. The human species involved was probably Homo heidelbergensis, who were the ancestor of the Neanderthals, and who periodically occupied Britain in warmer climatic episodes between c. 800,000 and 400,000 years ago.” 

Image provided courtesy of Oxford Archaeology

Image 1 shows the Lower/Middle Palaeolithic handaxe identified in the North drift gravel deposits in Test Pit 21 

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Oxfordshire County Council is improving access to the station by building a new route linking Tramway Road with Station Approach Road and the station forecourt. When finished, commuters will also benefit from new bus stops, cycleways and footways.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “If you use the train station, or travel along Tramway Road, please take a moment to plan ahead to avoid delays while we construct these very welcome improvements. Follow all signs and diversion routes for your own safety.

“Please bear with us while we construct these improvements. When finished, the new route will make it easier to access the station and improve journey times for buses, taxis, pedestrians, and cyclists, particularly those travelling from southern Banbury and Banbury town centre.”

Pedestrians, cyclists and those being dropped off by car will have no access to the station using Tramway Road from 24 October 2024 to April 2025 because the footpath will be closed to allow for the new footpath and road layout to be constructed.

A diversion will be in place via Tramway Road, Swan Close, the A4260, Bridge Street and Station Approach Road, which will take 20 minutes to walk. Two-way traffic lights will also be in place at Station Approach Road to manage traffic.

Site cabins and fencing will be installed from 21 October. Work to dig up the existing Tramway Road footpath and divert drainage and utility pipes and cables will start from 4 November.

From October to November 2024, two-way temporary traffic lights will be in place at Station Approach Road to manage traffic. Part of Station Approach Road and the west station car park will then be closed from November with traffic diverted through the west station car park to maintain a route through.

Work to construct the new northern extension to Tramway Road (road surface, footpath, cycle path and roundabout) will take place from late 2024 to spring 2025.

The west station car park will be fully closed from November, with the multistorey car park still available. Commuters should look out for advance warning and diversion signs. Some pick-up and drop off locations will also need to change. The improved station car park will be built in the last stage of work. Construction is expected to finish in September 2025.

Oxfordshire County Council is working with Milestone Construction Limited to construct these improvements.

Funding is coming from the Housing and Growth Deal and existing developer contributions.

For more information about this release contact Oxfordshire County Council’s communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk

More information 

The full range of improvements are:

• Extending the northern end of Tramway Road to provide a connection to Station Approach Road and the station west car park for all vehicles via a new roundabout.
• Building a new signal-controlled route from Tramway Road to the station forecourt for cyclists and those using buses and taxis. This will enable a bus route to potentially serve the station and Tramway Road.
• Providing a new footway, cycleway and bus stops along Tramway Road, and more bus stops at the station forecourt.
• Improving car parking and drop-off options, including new bays at the station and a new collection layby on Tramway Road.
• Improving lighting, surface water drainage and landscaping in the area.

 More information can also be found online at oxfordshire.gov.uk/banburystation.

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A new shuttle service will be provided for people affected by the re-routing of buses due to the weight restriction on Donnington Bridge Road in Oxford.

Oxfordshire County Council will use its own minibus fleet to provide the off-peak shuttle service – the 46A – from Mondays to Fridays, starting on Monday 14 October.

This will comprise four return journeys between Cowley Centre, Florence Park, Donnington Bridge and Speedwell Street in Oxford city centre to provide some connectivity for essential travel between 10.30am and 2.30pm.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “The absence of buses on Donnington Bridge Road for essential safety reasons has been a huge inconvenience for people in this area who rely on public transport, especially those who find it difficult to walk longer distances to use alternative bus services.

“Our officers have worked hard to try to alleviate some of the problems and we’re delighted to be able to unveil this shuttle service to connect passengers with the places they need to be.

“By using the council’s own vehicles when they are not in use elsewhere, we are able to reduce the costs involved, improving value for money.”

The 7.5 tonne weight limit was imposed by the county council on Donnington Bridge in August after ongoing monitoring revealed that the condition of materials in the structure required further assessment.

As a result, it was no longer possible for three bus routes – the 46, BB1A and ST1 – to operate via Weirs Lane and Donnington Bridge Road.

This lack of bus services between Iffley Road and Abingdon Road meant that direct connections to shops at Cowley Centre and medical and leisure facilities on Abingdon Road have been broken. To improve this situation, the shuttle journeys will be timed to connect to service 46 journeys at Cowley Centre.

The council’s fleet of minibuses provide transport for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and adult day centres but are available on weekdays between 10am and 2pm to provide this shuttle service. Timetables will be available from the usual online journey planners and at bus stops in due course.

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The automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera will be used to fine motor vehicles making the prohibited manoeuvre.

Despite the existing restriction, many motorists are still turning left, which increases road safety risks to other vehicles and road users.

Cyclists will continue to be permitted to make this left turn.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management said: “This is an extra measure to help improve safety at The Plain for all road users, especially the most vulnerable such as pedestrians and cyclists.

“This is a very busy roundabout and the banned left turn is a road safety hazard, which increases the risks for all road users. There was a good deal of support for the installation of a camera to deter this.”

Motor vehicles will continue to be required to drive around The Plain and then take the Iffley Road exit.

Motorists who contravene the restriction will receive a £70 penalty charge notice, discounted to £35 if paid within 21 days.

The camera is being funded by the council’s Vision Zero programme, set up to reduce road safety incidents and eliminate deaths and serious injuries from road traffic collisions across Oxfordshire by 2050.

The decision to install the ANPR camera was made by Cllr Gant in October 2023.

Safety measures at The Plain were prompted by the death of a cyclist in March 2022, which led to improvements in November 2022 as well as loading restrictions in 2023.

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Four parish councillors are the latest recruits helping to fix problems on the county’s roads more quickly.

The Kidlington parish council volunteers received their training – and cans of spray paint to mark up defects – from Oxfordshire County Council last month to become Fix My Street ‘super users’.

They are among about 150 super users across the county trained to inspect potholes, blocked drains and damaged kerbing since the pilot scheme started in 2019. And the search is on for more.

All residents are encouraged to report road or street problems on Fix My Street, which can be found on Oxfordshire County Council’s website. But super users can sometimes fast-track the process instances by ordering the defect repairs directly with our contractor.

Councillor Lesley McLean, Leader of Kidlington Parish Council, said: “Enrolling as Fix My Street super users is an ideal way of increasing community involvement in areas that will improve our village. There is huge public interest in fixing potholes and unblocking drains, and now our members can use their local knowledge and contacts to target the county council’s resources where they are needed most.

“Our residents can be reassured that the report they make on Fix My Street will be prioritised through local super users, where the criteria is met. We look forward to getting stuck in with our spray cans and doing our bit to make our roads safer.”

The super user volunteers are only expected to cover their local area on mainly residential or quieter roads, not A-roads, and only when it is safe to do so. All equipment and training is provided.

Although county council highways officers inspect their areas regularly, additional help from local people increases the number of defects that can be repaired and makes the process more efficient.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “I am constantly in awe of the work that volunteers do in our county, and I am incredibly grateful for the time and effort the Fix My Street super users put in to make our highways teams aware of problems on the roads.

“Their local knowledge, enthusiasm and hard work are helping us to resolve potholes, kerbing and drainage issues more quickly and efficiently. I would like to thank them for their efforts and invite more people to join them in improving the situation on the streets where they live.”

Any residents or organisations wanting to become Fix My Street super users should email volunteercoordinationteam@Oxfordshire.gov.uk for more information.

The Fix My Street super users are among the initiatives that form part of the county council’s Oxfordshire Together (OXTOG) programme of volunteers.

Other volunteering opportunities include road sign cleaning, maintaining public rights of way, school crossing patrols, managing salt bins, providing community transport, or joining one of the county’s more than 100 community action groups.

Details about OXTOG are available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

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Residents are able to review a 1905 historical survey that recorded all highways and bridges for which the county council was responsible following its establishment in 1889.  The survey was created by County Surveyor Sidney Stallard and was the first of its kind.

Councillor Neil Fawcett, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Corporate Services, said: “The materials available at our History Centre are among the numerous resources that highlight our county's heritage. It's fascinating to witness history come alive online and see the extensive changes in Oxfordshire over time.

"As well as vast online collections, including photos and pictures, there are also extensive physical archive collections open to residents that can help to support personal research projects, from small-scale family history to significant local historical events. "

The surveyors prepared the roads and bridges survey on a set of first edition six-inch Ordnance Survey maps on 53 different sheets dating from 1874 to 1881.

In July 1904, Sidney Stallard took over from Henry Tollitt, Oxfordshire County Council’s first ever County Surveyor, and one of Stallard’s tasks was to commission this new and comprehensive survey of the county's roads and bridges.

The maps were produced at the behest of the council’s Roads and Bridges Committee.

Complementing the 1905 roads and bridges survey maps, the centre has also now published high resolution zoomable images of the complete county bridges album on Picture Oxon, the county council’s database of historical images.

This album contains colour sketches of Oxfordshire bridges, dating from 1839 to 1873 and mainly drawn by Sophia Davenport, wife of J.M. Davenport, Clerk of the Peace. The album also includes some engraved prints, photographs and plans of county bridges.

The maps are based on the historical boundaries of Oxfordshire before 1974 when places to the south of the River Thames such as Abingdon were in Berkshire.

The resource can be viewed by visiting Oxfordshire History's website. 

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