Oxfordshire County Council has appointed GRAHAM to deliver the Didcot to Culham river crossing section of the Didcot and surrounding areas major infrastructure (HIF1) scheme. This is the third and final construction contract to be awarded for this scheme.

The project will enable more reliable journey times, improve pedestrian and cycling connectivity, support new employment sites and housing in and around Didcot, and help facilitate new and enhanced bus services.

The Didcot to Culham river crossing includes a new 3.6km single carriageway road between the A4130 at the existing Collett roundabout junction in Didcot and the A415 at Culham. It will include a new bridge over the Appleford railway sidings and a new bridge over the River Thames. Segregated walking and cycling facilities will also be provided along the length of the scheme.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Construction and Repair, said: “The Didcot to Culham river crossing will significantly reduce congestion in the area, and provide a safe route for walkers and cyclists. In particular, it will help relieve the congestion at the existing historic river crossings through Sutton Courtenay/Culham villages, and also at Clifton Hampden.

“These existing local bridges are old and not suitable for modern levels of traffic movement. They are often congested and subject to flooding in the winter months. This new crossing over the River Thames will help improve traffic flow, public transport journey times and reliability, and offer more resilience for public transport from flooding.

“The entire Didcot and surrounding areas major infrastructure scheme will give people more choice in how they travel, with improved conditions for active and sustainable kinds of travel which are better for everyone.”

Andrew Henry, GRAHAM Contracts Director, said: ““It is fantastic to have partnered with Oxfordshire County Council once again on another essential civil engineering project in the area.

“The Didcot to Culham river crossing is a complex project, which is ideally suited to our expertise. It will involve a complete overhaul of the current infrastructure, which is no longer fit for purpose, to deliver vital improvement works that support an enhanced quality of living for residents.”

Enabling works, including site clearance, archaeology investigations and utility diversions began earlier this year, and early construction activities are underway. Construction is expected to last approximately two and a half years.

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New plans to improve public hire e-scooter and e-bike operations have been approved today by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport.

Councillor Gareth Epps approved plans for a contract that jointly covers hire e-scooters and e-bikes by a single operator when the council’s current contract for e-scooters expires on 30 September 2026.

Once in place, the contract is specifically intended to offer more travel choice to more people by:

• Expanding hire e-scooter and e-bike operations in Oxford, subject to local and DfT approval, to surrounding areas including Botley, Kennington, Kidlington and Horspath, and potentially out to Abingdon and Wheatley.
• Introducing hire e-bike trials across the Science Vale area, and separately, Bicester. 

The plans also include a wider network of dedicated parking locations for public hire e-bikes and e-scooters, including an increase in on-road parking bays.

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “I am very excited about the opportunities and benefits the e-scooter and e-bike scheme will bring. It can give our market towns a more level footing with some of the transport benefits enjoyed by the city, while also building in stronger controls to monitor and enforce responsible use of e-bikes and e-scooters on our streets – including safer riding and parking.”

The new contract follows the Department for Transport’s recent announcement to extend the national hire e-scooter trials to May 2028. It will build on learning from current hire e-scooter and e-bike operations in Oxford. Priority requirements for the scheme operator include safety, high operating standards and improvements in parking.

The operator will be required to provide comprehensive data so the council can understand the impact of e-scooters and e-bikes on our Local Transport and Connectivity Plan, inform longer term decision-making around hire e-bike schemes in the county towns, and effectively monitor the operator’s performance including management of rider behaviour and parking.

More detail will be confirmed after the contract has been awarded.

Notes to editors

• The contract supports the vision and priorities set out in Oxfordshire County Council’s Local Transport and Connectivity Plan.

• Oxford has been a part of the national e-scooter trial since 2001. Public hire e-scooters are permitted to travel on the main highway and cycleways (but not on the pavement) depending on any other restrictions that may apply. Privately bought e-scooters are not legally permitted in public spaces (including on footpaths and public bridleways). Public-hire e-scooters are designed to meet strict specifications set out by UK government.

• Both public hire and private e-bikes are required to comply with speed limits set out in micromobility guidelines.

• Public hire e-bikes and e-scooters must be used responsibly in accordance with guidelines – see more on e-bikes and e-scooters.

• Cabinet Member for Decision report (Item 6, page 3, pages 39-70).

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Residents and visitors to Wantage are being asked for their feedback on design proposals to improve the town centre and Market Place.

On Wednesday 10 June 2026, Oxfordshire County Council will launch a four-week survey to hear people’s views on the draft designs.

The design proposals have been developed following last year’s community engagement with local residents, businesses and councillors to help shape a vision to enhance Wantage Market Place, while improving walking, wheeling and cycling.

Officers from the county council have since been working with the local community to explore how space could be redesigned to the make the town centre a better place to spend time for shopping, leisure or business. There is also a key desire to support business by improving loading facilities. 

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “It was wonderful that we received such a wealth of feedback and inspiration from so many people last year. I am delighted to see how this has been realised in a draft design to support better active travel opportunities and create a vibrant, welcoming, and accessible town centre in Wantage, which is safer for residents and visitors.

"We want this plan to truly reflect local community needs and ideas, as well as support an increase in the size of the market and enable more community events.

“I am very much looking forward to hearing how people find the designs and what adjustments can be made. We are working hard to make sure the final designs are not only practical but also accessible for everyone.”

From 12 noon on Wednesday 10 June 2026, people can take part in an online survey on the county council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire. The consultation will close at 11.59pm on Wednesday 8 July 2026.

The online survey will also be supported by two drop-in events for members of the public to find out about the project and speak to the team in person:

• Saturday 13 June 2026 – 10am - 4pm at The Beacon, Portway, Wantage, OX12 9BX
• Tuesday 16 June 2026 – 5pm - 8pm at The Beacon, Portway, Wantage, OX12 9BX

Feedback will help to identify any possible amendments that should be incorporated into the final design. The improvements will be delivered in two phases – construction on the West End is expected to begin in Autumn 2027, while the Market Place construction is anticipated to start once funding has been secured.

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The Oxfordshire County Council project will create a more welcoming public realm that encourages more people to visit and spend time in the town centre, makes walking, wheeling and cycling easier and more pleasant for everyone, and complements the town’s history and character. It supports the existing traffic arrangement on Witney High Street and Market Square.

The scheme will provide:  

• new seating areas, trees and planting
• resurfacing of approximately 2,000m2 of existing footways and creating over 1,000m2 of new footway space
• 10 marked disabled persons’ parking places
• flexible loading arrangements for businesses in the town centre
• a new, additional bus stop for community transport. Taxi access will be permitted in the shared space after 5pm on weekdays and after 2pm on Saturdays, with a 16-metre taxi bay provided at all times.
• a new traffic priority arrangement for the High Street/Welch Way junction including a central island to support cyclists making right turns. This will help to make road users' intentions clearer at the junction, making it safer. 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “The Witney High Street project makes effective use of the town centre space to accommodate multiple users. It has developed over a long period of time, with several rounds of consultation and construction is due to start in May.”

Construction is due to start in early May 2026 and be completed in November 2026. The works will be undertaken in phases, starting on the western side of the street, with traffic movements restricted to southbound only during this phase.

Works will then then switch to the eastern side of the street when traffic will only be permitted northbound on the High Street and Market Square between the Corn Street and Welch Way junctions. 

Safe pedestrian and wheelchair/mobility-aided access as well as access to the shops, food outlets and businesses will be maintained throughout the works.  

While bus stop and taxi rank locations will be maintained when possible, during some phases of the works, bus stops will need to be relocated to Langdale Gate and Welch Way, with the taxi rank temporarily relocated outside The Angel Inn on Market Square. 

There may be short periods where some loading and disabled persons' parking places on the High Street and by the Market Square may not be available. Appropriate areas for loading during each phase of the works will be communicated to businesses with regular updates provided. 

Shoppers can continue to park in the Woolgate car park near the Market Square and in Marriott's Walk. A site compound for the works will be set up in Zone G of the Woolgate car park, with long stay parking bays relocated to adjacent areas of the car park. 

The final phase will be the installation of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to help reduce the number of non-exempt motor vehicles going through the restrictions on the High Street and Market Square.

The council is hosting a drop-in information event where members of the public can view the final designs for the project and learn about the construction programme. This will take place on Wednesday 29 April, 2pm - 7pm, at the Witney Corn Exchange.

Background information on the project and plans showing the relocation of services during the works is available on the council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire.

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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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Oxfordshire County Council has now formally entered into a contract with VolkerFitzpatrick to build the Didcot Science Bridge section of the Didcot and surrounding areas major infrastructure (HIF1) scheme on behalf of the council.

The scheme will provide vital transport infrastructure to reduce congestion and enable more reliable journey times, improve pedestrian and cycling connectivity, and support new employment sites and housing in and around Didcot.

The project includes four sections that incorporate improvements to existing roads, the construction of new roads, new walking and cycle routes, and will help to facilitate new and enhanced bus services.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “I’m very pleased that we have reached the stage where we have appointed VolkerFitzpatrick to build an important section of the scheme.

“This means work will start soon on this transformative infrastructure development. It will offer more sustainable travel options in and around Didcot and provide opportunities for more direct, faster and more reliable bus routes. It will also improve road safety and support the creation of new jobs and economic growth in the local area.”

The construction contract will include creating a dual carriageway along the A4130 east of the A34 Milton Interchange and a new single carriageway bridge across the railway line and Milton Road.

The dualling of the A4130 will repurpose the existing carriageway, using the current southern ditch to create a central reservation and adding two new lanes to the south. The existing A4130 carriageway will travel eastbound towards Didcot and the newly constructed lanes will travel westbound towards Milton interchange.

The three-span Science Bridge will cross over the existing A4130, the Great Western mainline railway, and Milton Road. The road will continue through the former Didcot A Power Station connecting back into the A4130 north of Purchas Road roundabout with a T-junction.

Paul Lilley, Strategic Projects Director, VolkerFitzpatrick commented: “We are delighted to have been appointed to deliver the Didcot Science Bridge, a key component of this transformative infrastructure programme.

“Our team brings extensive experience in delivering complex civil engineering projects, and we look forward to working closely with Oxfordshire County Council and its partners to create infrastructure that will improve journey times, enhance sustainable travel options, and support future growth across the region.”

Pauline Schaffer, Director – Infrastructure Funding, Homes England, said: “The appointment of VolkerFitzpatrick represents a major step forward in delivering vital transport improvements for Didcot and the surrounding areas.

“Homes England’s investment through the Housing Infrastructure Fund is helping to bring forward the Didcot infrastructure scheme, unlocking much‑needed new homes and employment space for the local area.”

Enabling works, including site clearance, archaeology investigations and utility diversions, are already underway. Main construction is expected to start in the Spring, and last approximately two years.

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Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet today adopted the Science Vale movement and place plan that sets out 22 objectives and accompanying actions to create a long-term transport strategy for the area, which is spread across the districts of South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

They prioritise people walking, wheeling, cycling and using public transport over private car use.

The Science Vale area has a concentration of world-class innovative research and enterprise facilities. It covers Wantage and Didcot, surrounding villages and the employment sites at Culham Campus, Harwell Campus and Milton Park.

It is home to around 73,000 people and this is expected to rise to more than 170,000 by 2050, which highlights the need to address challenges such as congestion, air quality, rural accessibility and pressure on public transport.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “Oxfordshire is embarking upon sustainable and positive change – placing people, communities and places at the heart of this.

“The movement and place plans, including this one for the Science Vale, are key to this. They reflect the needs and aspirations of our communities, help to protect our natural environment and deliver the homes, businesses and leisure facilities that our communities need and enjoy.

“A significant shift in this strategy has been putting people at the heart of plan making, alongside movement and working towards understanding the meaning of place at a local level.”

The plan’s objectives include:

• Creating a comprehensive active travel network that is safe, comfortable and direct by updating national cycle routes, improving lighting and surface quality, reducing severance caused by busy roads and adding cycle hubs.
• Public transport improvements including better bus frequencies, improved interchanges and long-term rail enhancements, for example support for a Wantage and Grove station.
• Supporting economic growth and innovation, given the area’s global reputation for life sciences, fusion research and space technology and the importance of dependable, low carbon connectivity.
• Protecting nature and the environment, with a focus on improving public spaces and strengthening community identity.

The plan’s vision received strong support during a public consultation.

There are 12 proposed movement and place plans for Oxfordshire that the council will be looking deliver over the next year or so. They will act as supporting documents to the council’s wider local transport connectivity plan, which was adopted in 2022.

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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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Oxfordshire County Council has topped the south-east local authority active travel ratings. The council has been announced as an active travel level three in the government’s 2025 ratings. It is one of nine local authorities across England, and two in the south-east to increase its rating this year. The grading by Active Travel England indicates strong local leadership and support, with a substantial active travel network for walking, wheeling and cycling in place.

As part of this grading, Oxfordshire will benefit from an increase in funding to spend on projects to improve pedestrian/mobility-aided and cycling infrastructure and opportunities. The total funding awarded over a four-year period from 2026 will now be more than £20 million.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “This is absolutely brilliant news. It marks clear recognition of our efforts to deliver on an effective long-term network that connects people’s opportunities within the county not only for easier walking, wheeling and cycling, but also for better bus and rail travel.

“A crucial part of securing this rating is that local people are choosing active travel options that work for them. I am exceptionally proud of our county and steps we’ve taken to incorporate more activity into everyday life.

“The funding awarded is a significant investment into making Oxfordshire greener, fairer and healthier – enabling us to improve people’s travel choices and create a healthier, more accessible and attractive county. Opening the door to new businesses and jobs, economic success and increased opportunities.”

The government active travel capability ratings are graded from zero to four, helping councils to better visualise and work towards delivering excellent sustainable transport networks across the country. A key requirement is that they provide safe, high-quality walking, wheeling and cycling support. Together, this helps the UK to achieve its objectives for 50 per cent of all local journeys in towns and cities to be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2030.

In the announcement letter received by the county council from the government, Active Travel England assessors were impressed with the quality of the submission and recognised work by the council to improve provision in Oxfordshire. Like many local authorities in the country, the county council was previously graded at a level two – showing visible local leadership and support, with emerging network delivery.

Achieving this recognition supports the county council’s  strategic plan 2025 - 28. In particular it will contribute towards the county’s targets to create better spaces for residents and visitors in town centres and work with transport partners towards a countywide integrated rail and bus offer.

Ends

Notes

• Local authorities are given a rating between 0-4 (with 4 being the highest level). A breakdown of each rating can be found below:
  • Level 0 – Local leadership and organisational capability for active travel is not obvious, no significant plans are in place, and the authority has delivered only lower complexity schemes.
  • Level 1 – Some local leadership and organisational capability with basic plans and isolated schemes that do not yet form a plan for a coherent network.
  • Level 2 – Strong local leadership and organisational capability, with clear plans that form the basis of an emerging network with a few elements already in place.
  • Level 3 – Very strong local leadership and organisational capability, comprehensive plans, and a significant network in place with a growing number of people choosing to walk, wheel and cycle.
  • Level 4 – Established culture of active travel with successive increases in walking, wheeling and cycling, underpinned by a dense integrated network in place and highly supportive policies to give more people the choice to walk, wheel or cycle.
• Measures in Oxfordshire’s strategic plan 2025 - 28 set out how the county council will achieve a greener, fairer and healthier county. This is complemented by the central Oxfordshire travel plan and the council’s local transport and connectivity plan.

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Feedback can be provided through a survey open on the council’s digital consultation and engagement platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire until 7 January 2026. 

The draft LCWIP, which aims to improve walking, wheeling and cycling around the town, has been prepared using feedback gathered from residents, workers and visitors using a map and pin exercise, which took place earlier this year, extensive engagement with a steering group of local members and a comprehensive review of background information.

The input was used to set out proposed improvements for local walking, wheeling and cycling routes over the next 10 years. The draft plan focuses on the connection of cycling and walking routes in Wallingford, improving accessibility within the town and connections with Benson, Cholsey, Crowmarsh Gifford, Preston Crowmarsh, Ewelme, Shillingford, Warborough and Brightwell-cum-Sotwell.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “We know the importance, and the value of making our travel more sustainable. We also know how crucial it is that we make the conditions right to allow people to make more sustainable travel choices when they have the opportunity to do so.

“Improving the routes in Wallingford and surrounding areas will enable more people to use alternatives to the car or public transport to make our roads safer and our environment healthier. This plan has been drafted using valuable insights that people have taken the time to share with us and it is now our intention to take those changes forward and make these routes the best we can.

“I encourage people to look carefully at the plan and share their impressions with us, including whether the most important walking, wheeling and cycling routes and improvements have been identified and what we can do to make the plan better.”

Feedback will be used to amend the plan. The final version will be presented to the lead cabinet member in Spring 2026 for a decision on if this can be formally adopted as council policy. If adopted, this will support future funding bids to improve walking and cycling in the Wallingford area.

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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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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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Last year, Oxfordshire County Council gathered feedback from residents, workers and visitors in Thame, via a ‘map and pin’ exercise to identify improvements to local travel.

Their input was used to create the draft local walking and cycling infrastructure plan, which sets out proposed improvements for local walking and cycling routes over the next 10 years and is now available for comment.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “This plan has been drafted using valuable insights that people have taken the time to share with us and it is now our intention to take those changes forward and make these routes the best we can.

“I would like people to look carefully at the plan and share their impressions with us, including whether the most important walking and cycling routes and improvements have been identified and what we can do to make the plan better.”

Feedback will be used to amend the plan. The final version will presented for Cabinet Member Decision towards the end of this year and then be formally adopted as council policy. This will support funding bids to improve walking and cycling in Thame and the surrounding area.

The draft plan is available to view alongside a survey on the council’s digital consultation and engagement platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire.

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Cllr Emily Kerr, who represents Oxford’s Bartlemas division, said she is honoured to be chosen and can’t wait to get stuck into the job.

She said: “I am thrilled and honoured to be the new active travel and cycling champion for Oxfordshire County Council as I’m a huge supporter of making improvements to help us all get around more easily without needing to rely on driving a car.

“As a local resident in the vibrant city of Oxford I am proud to have great experience in walking and cycling in urban areas, and I am eager to learn more about what matters most for those travelling throughout our beautiful county and in our most rural areas.

“I am looking forward to engaging with countryside groups in the coming weeks. I’d love people to get in touch with me to share their thoughts for the best active travel opportunities.”

Her role will involve taking part in regular road safety working groups and workshops, both rural and urban. These were set up by the council after it adopted the Vision Zero strategy, which aims to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on Oxfordshire’s roads by 2050.

Councillor Kerr takes over from Damian Haywood. The role has previously been held by Cllr Dan Levy and Cllr Andrew Gant.

She added: “I am dedicated to building on the excellent work of our previous county active travel champions and working closely with the council and local people to deliver evidence-based policy and high quality infrastructure that will benefit our communities.”

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “As someone who has held this position before, I know what an important role the active travel and cycling champion is. I’d like to thank Damian Haywood for all the valuable work he did while in this post, and I am looking forward to working with Cllr Kerr in the future.

“Her enthusiasm, knowledge and passion for the issues shine through and I am sure she will be holding our feet to the fire on all matters related to active travel.”

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Residents, businesses and organisations will be able to share their views on a proposed Oxford temporary congestion charge, as part of a public consultation starting next week, Monday 23 June, for six weeks. Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved the engagement process at its meeting today, 17 June.

The proposed scheme would 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 the city. This follows the council’s commitment to addressing congestion in the short-term, after its plan to implement six trial traffic filters was postponed due to the ongoing closure of Botley Road, now expected to reopen in August 2026.

Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “I’m looking forward to hearing what residents, businesses and visitors have to say about the proposal for temporary congestion charging points while Botley Road remains closed.

“I’m pleased that we’re continuing to consultation on this scheme that could have a significant positive impact on people’s travel in and around the city. We must do all we can to improve bus services and reduce overall traffic, to help people get around.”

The council has been exploring ways to reduce traffic congestion until the traffic filters trial can start. In this proposal, the charge locations would be exactly the same as the trial traffic filter points. The scheme could make use of the existing infrastructure and back-office systems intended for traffic filters. Any surplus income from the proposed scheme could be used to fund travel improvements like cheaper bus tickets and parking at park and ride sites.

The consultation will gather feedback on the proposed scheme's impact and details. It will include a survey on the council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire. Paper copies of information will be available in main libraries and at County Hall. A series of online information and Q&A events for the public will take place.

After the six-week consultation period, a report will be presented to the council’s cabinet for consideration. The council’s cabinet will make a decision at a meeting in September on whether to implement the scheme. If approved, the scheme would be implemented later in the autumn.

More information is available on the council’s website.

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Residents and visitors to Carterton are now able to review and comment on a draft plan to improve walking, wheeling and cycling around the town, with a survey open until 18 June.

Earlier this year, Oxfordshire County Council gathered feedback from residents, workers, students and visitors in Carterton to identify improvements to local travel. Their input was used to create the draft local walking and cycling infrastructure plan which sets out proposed improvements for local walking and cycling routes over the next 10 years and is now available for comment.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “This plan has been drafted using valuable insights that people have taken the time to share with us and it is now our intention to take those changes forward and make these routes the best we can. I would like people to look carefully at the plan and share their impressions with us including whether the most important walking and cycling routes and improvements have been identified and what we can do to make the plan better.”

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

The draft plan is available to view alongside a survey on the council’s Let’s talk Oxfordshire platform. Comments can also be emailed to placeplanningnorth@oxfordshire.gov.uk  or write to Freepost OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL¹.

Ends

Notes to editors

• ¹Residents who wish to write to the council should address their envelope with Freepost OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL as one line in the middle with ‘Carterton 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
  • make a case for future funding for walking and cycling infrastructure.

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Children in Oxfordshire are leaping into walk to school week (19 - 23 May) with a space-themed challenge to help build healthy habits for life.

Oxfordshire County Council is funding 29 primary schools across the county to take part in the week as part of an annual walk to school challenge delivered by Living Streets. This year, schools are launching ‘the great space walk’ and it will celebrate five themes: mental health, physical health, sustainability, road safety, and community.

Students can walk, wheel, or cycle to school every day, with each day this week focusing on one of the celebration themes, highlighting the benefits associated with these journey choices.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: "The journey to school can set children up for a lifetime. This week will get families thinking about the benefits of everyday active journeys, which can have such wide reaching positive impacts.

“The great space walk is a very exciting theme, which will no doubt inspire young imaginations and create opportunities for fun together with family and friends.”

It’s not just about walking to school, students can also take part in playground activities, physical activity lunch clubs, and even class walks.

Schools that join the walk to school challenges see an average 23 per cent increase in active travel journeys to school and a 30 per cent reduction in reliance on private car journeys to school.

Chesterton Primary School in Bicester is one of the schools participating in the challenge.

Mr. Horner, Headteacher of Chesterton Primary School, said: "We always try to participate in walk to school week, as it fits in with our wider goals regarding sustainability and the environment. Even though some of our families can't walk to school due to the nature of our catchment area, we show them that there are still alternatives to driving from door to door. The pupils (and staff) always enjoy being part of the challenges and competitions that we set, and families regularly feedback that they have really enjoyed the experience."

Students might pretend to have moon boots on when walking into school, look for exciting new life-forms, start the walk with "one small step", or take part in a solar system hunt on their way to the classroom.

More information about the national walk to school week challenge is available on Living Streets’ website, with some free resources to promote the benefits of walking to school, including a booklet, a diary, and a free family walk to school kit.

Ends

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

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Here's what Cutteslowe Primary School student council shared about what they like about walking or wheeling to school:

People living or travelling in Eynsham are being asked for their views on a draft local cycling and walking infrastructure plan for Eynsham and surrounding villages until 24 June.

The plan will help to identify positive changes for the village’s walking and cycling network, improving accessibility and connections with the surrounding area including: Begbroke, Botley, Cassington, Farmoor, Freeland, Hanborough, South Leigh, Stanton Harcourt, Swinford and Yarnton over the next 10 years.

Paul Fermer, Director of Environment and Highways for Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Walking, wheeling and cycling for journeys as part of daily life can help retain health, increase happiness and enable connection with nature.

“We make numerous short journeys around our neighbourhoods every day to the shop, doing the school run, catching a bus to work, and visiting friends or family in nearby streets or villages.

“We have routes we follow frequently. We might even have shorter routes we avoid because a road or path feels too narrow or is harder to cross. I’d like to hear from people where their trips could be improved by making small changes like a marked cycle route, a wider pavement, a level pathway or a properly accessible crossing point.

“These changes, however small, can connect a travel network that we can all benefit from and enjoy.”

Residents can take part by visiting the council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire, and adding a pin and comment to the online map. People can also email comments to placeplanningnorth@oxfordshire.gov.uk or write to Freepost OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL¹.

All responses will be collated and reviewed once the engagement has closed, and a draft plan of improvements will be created and shared for public feedback later this year. A final plan developed from this will then be recommended for formal adoption as council policy and used to help bid for funding to deliver the improvements.

Notes to editor

• ¹Residents 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
  • make a case for future funding for walking and cycling infrastructure.

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Planning approval for the HIF1 Didcot and surrounding areas major infrastructure project was granted by the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Angela Rayner, following a planning inspector’s report recommending that the scheme proceed to construction. The scheme was subject to a 21-day conjoined public inquiry earlier this year.

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, said: “The approval of this application is fantastic news, as securing planning consent is a key milestone in proceeding with this project.

“This work is a big step towards tackling congestion in Didcot and the surrounding villages. It will transform travel in the Didcot area for current and future residents as well as commuters, reduce congestion in the surrounding villages, and improve air quality and noise levels.”

The £332 million project is fully funded. Successful discussions with government in early 2022, and again in early 2024, resulted in additional grants from Homes England. Approval was also given to underwrite up to £30m from Oxfordshire County Council’s capital budget in February 2022, while Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership contributed a £10m capital investment generated from Enterprise Zones’ business rates retention.

With planning consent now in place, work continues to finalise detailed designs, and confirm and appoint contractors.  The decision on the statutory orders needed to secure all of the land for the scheme is awaited, but private negotiations with landowners continue to progress.

Construction is anticipated to start on site in early 2026 and last approximately two years.

Councillor Roberts added: “This project is key in providing real sustainable travel options for people in and around Didcot. It will enable more reliable journey times for buses and other vehicles and improve pedestrian and cycling connectivity.

“The investment in this infrastructure will also support more jobs in the local area in new and existing employment sites. I’m delighted that we can now progress towards construction.”

For more information about the project visit oxfordshire.gov.uk/didcot 

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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 proposed scheme includes constructing a new junction onto the A40 to bring the Eynsham Park and Ride into use, bus lanes between the park and ride and Wolvercote, upgraded walking and cycling paths, and new signal-controlled crossings to enhance safety and accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.

People can have their say on the plans from 25 November 2024 until 1 January 2025. The plans, maps and an online survey will be available from 25 November on the council’s digital consultation and engagement platform Let’s Talk Oxfordshire .

Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said, "This is an important project that will improve travel along the A40 in West Oxfordshire and help us realise the vision for a greener, more connected Oxfordshire. This public engagement is an opportunity to review the detailed plans, and we look forward to listening to residents’ feedback on the proposals."

There will also be two walk-in exhibitions showing the plans and designs:

·       25 Nov 2024 (3pm - 7pm): Cassington Village Hall, Cassington, OX29 4AX

·       4 Dec 2024 (3pm - 7pm): Eynsham Village Hall (Main Hall), Eynsham OX29 4QW

Subject to planning, the scheme will be delivered in phases and funding for the first phase has been secured from the Department for Transport's Local Growth Fund and Homes England's Housing Infrastructure Fund.

Feedback gathered during the engagement period will be considered as part of the planning process.

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Is your school ready to WOW with the Walk to School challenge?
This year we’re walking with imagination!

Oxfordshire County Council is partnering with Living Streets to provide free resources and support for schools taking part in the WOW Walk to School challenge.

Until the 25 November, schools in Oxfordshire who have not tried the Walk to School challenge in the last three years, can sign up to secure one of 20 fully funded places for the 2024/5 challenge.

Schools who have joined the challenge so far have seen an average 23 per cent increase in active travel journeys to school and a 30 per cent reduction in reliance on private car journeys to school.

How it works:

WOW began as a Walk on Wednesday or Walk once a Week initiative to promote walking to school regularly at least once a week for students and their parents/carers.

The increase in physical activity levels can improve physical health, whilst helping pupils to feel more energised in the mornings and more ready to focus on their studies. There is also the opportunity for parents/carers and children to socialise on the school run, boosting wellbeing and sense of community.

Pupils walking, wheeling, cycling, scooting or parking-and-striding to school at least once a week can earn monthly collectable badges with a unique, imaginative transportation design for each month. The badges are inspired by competition entries to design the badges from primary school students across Britain.

A key stage one teacher from Chilton Primary School in South Oxfordshire, whose school took part in the challenge last year said: 
“The children love coming in and recording how they have travelled to school and there is always great excitement when it’s ‘badge time’ at the end of the month!  
Many children enjoy collecting all the badges and it encourages them to try to ‘park and stride’ to school rather than drive in order to be eligible.”

It doesn’t have to be just walking to school – there are other ways to get the badges too. Living Streets’ schools team and Oxfordshire County Council officers offer support to schools to help make sure the challenge is inclusive and find more ways students can take part – including playground activities, physical activity lunch clubs and even class walks.

Cllr John Howson, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Children, Education and Young People's Services, said: 
“Walking, wheeling, cycling or scooting to school is a fun and refreshing start to the day. It helps to boost a positive bond with friends and family, spark interest and curiosity in the world around us, and of course helps us feel a little bit more healthy and energised.

“It’s wonderful to hear that this year the challenge is to fill the school journey with your imagination and I’m looking forward to hearing about the exciting travels – commanding a Viking longboat, steering a super-powered magic scooter or riding a bus with the floor made of lava…the possibilities are endless!”

Walk to School Challenge schools receive a full welcome pack with resources, class guides and a poster as well as support to help kick-off the challenge for their school, and a virtual launch assembly to introduce the challenge to students.

The schools get access to a fun Walk to School travel tracker which works with education whiteboards, computers and iPads. For the pupils, the tracker features engaging graphics and relatable icons for recording their journeys – including walking frames and wheelchairs as well as walking, bicycles and scooters. For education staff and leaders, it forms a great part of data logging which contributes to the school’s travel planning performance including its national awards Modeshift STARS and Healthy Schools status.

Want to get your boots on? Your school can sign up with Living Streets for the Walk to School challenge until Friday 25 November.  

You can find out more about the Walk to School challenge on Living Streets’ website: 
livingstreets.org.uk/walk-to-school/primary-schools/wow-the-walk-to-school-challenge/
It doesn’t have to be just walking to school – there are other ways to get the badges too: 
More than just walking: WOW in SEND schools

Glossary of terms:

• Wheeling – travelling using a wheeled mobility aid – such as a wheelchair, rollator, or mobility scooter.
• Park-and-stride – a school run can also include a short walk to the school gates by parking safely ten minutes’ walk away and completing the last bit of the journey actively.
• KS1 – Key stage 1 is an educational stage – meaning the first stage of primary school education in England – referring to five- to seven-year-olds.

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Five primary schools in Oxford and Didcot will have their school streets programme supported by the use of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. The decision was made at an Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member meeting on 5 September 2024.

The schools have been trialling the school streets concept, which involves timed road closures with volunteers operating pop-up gates close to school entrances at school start and finish times. The aim is to reduce the volume of motor vehicles during school drop-off and pick-up times creating a safer environment for children, parents, and teachers to walk or cycle to school.

During October and November,  ANPR cameras will be installed at the school street entry points to help operate the scheme consistently without reliance on a volunteer team. The cameras will operate only during set school drop-off and pick-up times, on school days only and covering only the entry point.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “School streets are a simple but very effective way to help make it easier for the school community to start and finish the school day feeling safer, more confident and healthy.

“It’s also a hugely positive thing that schools are supporting their families even further to get the most out of the school journey with other opportunities such as walking buses and park and stride – which allows people who need to drive for longer or more complex journeys to park nearby and enjoy the social benefits of walking or wheeling for the last leg of the school run.” 

“As a highway authority we have a responsibility to improve how people can get about the county, together with a duty to reduce our impacts on the environment and make it better for everyone. We have learned from the school streets scheme so far that generally school communities enjoy the welcoming atmosphere of the school street and residents are seeing less of traffic impacting how they enjoy their neighbourhood and access their homes. I am incredibly proud of our local schools helping us strive to make Oxfordshire the best it can be and look forward to the continued success of the school streets.” 

The schools are:

• St Mary and St John Church of England Primary School, Oxford
• Sandhills Community Primary School, Oxford
• Tyndale Community (Primary) School, Oxford
• New Hinksey Church of England Primary School, Oxford, and
• Manor Primary School, Didcot.

Residents and businesses in the school street locations will receive letters on how to apply for their vehicle exemptions and when their school street ANPR cameras will become operational. Oxfordshire County Council’s school street webpages also provide a full of list of exempt vehicles – which includes residents, local businesses, blue badge holders and carers – and details on how to register an exemption.

Notes to editors

• More information about school streets:

• Full report to cabinet.
•  Local Transport and Connectivity Plan.
• Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure plan.
• School streets (including details of existing school street locations and operating times, and exemptions).

• 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. 
• School streets are a part of the vision set out in Oxfordshire County Council’s Local Transport and Connectivity Plan 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. 
• Four primary schools in the county previously trialled their phase one school streets with the support of Oxfordshire County Council under the UK government’s active travel initiative since 2021. Larkrise, St Ebbe’s and Windmill schools in Oxford and St Nicolas school in Abingdon were the first schools in the county to successfully implement permanent school streets. They trialled volunteer-led pop-up gates before progressing to ANPR use. 
 

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

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Measures to improve road safety and bus journey times on Oxford’s Woodstock Road have been approved today by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for infrastructure and development strategy.

The improvements are focused on the area between St. Giles and the Wolvercote Roundabout (A40) and are designed to work with other measures to enhance journeys made by walking, wheeling, cycling and public transport.  

Councillor Judy Roberts, Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “Oxford looks forward to a greater demand for sustainable travel solutions to meet expected increases in population and jobs. These plans are one part towards answering that need on one of our city’s busiest roads.

“We have committed to making sure our highways are safer and work better for all our road users. We are implementing cycle way improvements and crossings that really prioritise the safety of people walking and wheeling.”

The improvements include:

• Replacing a section of the southbound bus lane between Wolvercote and Squitchey Lane with a northbound lane on the other side. This will be implemented as a trial under an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO), and follows advice from local bus operators
• Pedestrian crossings on the junctions of roads between and including Bevington Road and St. Margaret's Road
•  Off-road cycle path on Woodstock Road between Frenchay Road and St. Margaret’s Road, and
• Zebra crossing on Woodstock Road near Bevington Road.

Works are expected to take place between August 2024 and March 2025, and will be sensitively phased to keep disruption to a minimum.

The project is funded through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal.

More information

• Full details of the proposals presented to the cabinet meeting can be viewed in the report (item 5, pp13 - 23)
• General information about the Woodstock Road Sustainable Travel Improvements plan can be viewed at any time on oxfordshire.gov.uk/woodstockroad
• Crossings are designed to meet LTN 1/20 guidance

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Residents will benefit from safer cycling and walking routes after proposals to improve paths and crossings between Oxford Business Park and Hollow Way were approved at a county council cabinet member decision meeting on 20 June.

The improvements on the stretch of the B480, Garsington Road in Oxford will make it easier and more enjoyable to walk, wheel and cycle and will improve road safety.

The plans include a new crossing, new and improved paths for walking and cycling, and road humps at side roads for safer crossing and to encourage careful driving at junctions.

Bill Cotton, Oxfordshire County Council’s Corporate Director for Environment and Place, said: “Garsington Road is a key route in our city network – linking the eastern bypass with Oxford’s eastern arc, and providing a business centre with a thriving business park that is home to over 65 diverse businesses and facilities.

“Creating the best environments to support active travel in our busy city is hugely important. These changes will mean that more people will be able to choose cycling and walking as part of their daily travel, benefitting health and wellbeing and keeping our vibrant city moving.

“The upgrades to Garsington Road are a part of our commitment to help make the road safer for everyone using it, with a special focus on vulnerable road users.”

The upgrades include:

• A new toucan crossing on the western side of Garsington Road/John Smith Drive roundabout, replacing the existing crossing that is nearby.  The crossing will have lights and will be wider to give more space to cross for people walking, wheeling, pushing prams or with bicycles.
• Extending the existing cycleways on Garsington Road by upgrading footways and cycleways on the southern side of the road. These will be shared use between John Smith Drive and the petrol station, then segregated with marked dividing lines between the petrol station and St. Luke’s Road.
• Adding shared use footways and cycleways around the northern and southern sides of the Garsington Road/John Smith Drive roundabout. This will include raised tables to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists crossing the junctions. 
• Installing flat top road humps at the junctions of Phipps Road, Napier Road and St. Luke's Road to provide a wide continuous footway and promote pedestrian and cyclist priority crossing the junctions. They will also help reduce vehicle speed entering and exiting the side roads.

Construction work to install the improvements is planned for later this summer, ahead of the traffic filters trial beginning in the autumn.

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

• You can read more about the project on the county council website oxfordshire.gov.uk/garsingtonroadtravel. The project is funded by the government’s Active Travel Fund.
• More details are in the cabinet report (Page 4, item 7).
• Proposals were open for formal consultation between 25 April and 24 May 2024 – details of this are in the cabinet report (Annex 5, pp235 -244).
• 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 County Council and Voi will continue to provide public hire e-scooters in the city of Oxford, as the government confirms the UK’s e-scooter trial programme will continue.

The e-scooter trial has now been formally extended to the 31 May 2026, enabling the county council to extend its contract with e-scooter operator Voi until 31 May 2026.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “It is wonderful to announce our great relationship with Voi is continuing for a further two years. We are delighted to be able to offer people greener, more flexible alternatives to the private car for moving around our historic city.”

James Bolton, General Manager for Voi UK, said: “We are thrilled at the prospect of operating in Oxford for a further two years. It’s been an amazing journey building up the scheme from a small beginning to where it is now. In the last three years we’ve seen increasing numbers of people benefit from using our e-scooters as a safe, affordable and sustainable way of travelling which doesn’t contribute to air pollution or clog up streets with traffic.”

Voi has been operating Oxford’s e-scooter programme since 2021. There are now over 850 e-scooters available for hire in Oxford and they have been used to travel more than a combined 2.5 million miles through the city’s historic streets. That’s the equivalent of more than 100 times around the world.

Highlights of the last year have included a new e-scooter bay with six e-scooters at Wolfson college, and a whole-fleet upgrade to Voi’s Voiager 5 (V5) model.

In addition to regular in-person e-scooter safe riding days, Voi is also launching a brand new free, online safety school: RideSafe Academy for e-scooter riders from 16 June 2024.

Notes:

• More about the Oxford e-scooter trial can be found on the county council’s website.
• To tie in with government trial dates, Voi’s contract with the county council extended to May 31 2026 subject to the government e-scooter trial dates being extended.
• The scheme is closely monitored, and irresponsible or unsafe use of the e-scooters is enforced with user bans from Voi – the county council’s operating partner. Incidents of bad riding practices are well managed and 0.02 per cent of total Voi account holders (UK-wide) have been blocked.
• The public hire e-scooters operate 24 hour since October 2022 – subject to their continued safe, responsible and lawful use.
• The new RideSafe Academy supersedes the previous RideLikeVoila school.
• Voi also offers personal rental options. More details here: https://www.voi.com/blog/long-term-rental-scheme-oxford

For more information about this release contact the Oxfordshire County Council communications team on 01865 323870 or email press.office@oxfordshire.gov.uk
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From today (8 May) until Wednesday 5 June, Oxfordshire County Council is asking for people’s views on the Woodstock Road Sustainable Travel Improvements Scheme.

The council is proposing changing the travel direction of an existing bus lane, as well as a number of active travel improvements to help improve bus journey reliability and make the road safer for everyone using it.

The feedback gathered will help inform a county council cabinet decision on whether to approve the work.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: “I encourage people to look at the proposals and help us understand the impact they’ll have. There is a clear link between active travel and improved physical and mental health. Children who walk or cycle to school will be healthier, have a more active social life, do better in the classroom and live longer. Sitting in a traffic jam harms everyone, inside and outside the car.

“Woodstock Road is used by many people travelling by bus, bike and on foot or with mobility aids, both from within Oxford and travelling to and from other areas. By investing now and providing space and facilities for making journeys other than travelling by car, we can better manage traffic in the coming years with planned growth and housing.”

The proposals cover the area between St Giles in Oxford city centre and the Wolvercote Roundabout (A40). The proposals are designed to work with other measures to improve and encourage journeys made by walking or wheeling, cycling and public transport.  

The project has two phases. Phase one involves a bus lane change, which proposes to remove part of the 24-hour southbound bus lane between Wolvercote (A40) and Squitchey Lane and replace it with a like-for-like northbound bus lane on the other side.

Phase two is focused on the southern end of the Woodstock Road and covers a series of active travel (cycling, walking and wheeling) priority measures for the Woodstock Road including:

• New and improved side road crossings.
• An extension of the shared use, off-road cycle path on the western side of Woodstock Road.
• The installation of solar studs along cycle lanes throughout Woodstock Road to improve visibility.
• A new zebra crossing on Woodstock Road between Observatory Street and Bevington Road.
• Localised sections of improvements to the condition of footway/off-road segregated cycle lanes.
• Various road marking amendments.
• A new full time bus stop clearway on the east side of the Woodstock Road.
• The relocation of a marked parking bay outside Belsyre Court.

People can take part in an online survey on the county council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s Talk Oxfordshire. The consultation closes at 11.59pm on Wednesday 5 June 2024.

Subject to approval by the council’s cabinet, the proposed works could start this summer.

The project is funded through the Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal.

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Oxfordshire is to benefit from £2.384 million awarded by Active Travel England – the UK government agency responsible for making walking, wheeling and cycling the preferred choice for everyone to get around in England.

The funding has been awarded as part of the fourth phase of the active travel bidding process (active travel tranche 4). Oxfordshire County Council has previously been awarded grants of £600,000 from phase one, £2.98m from phase two and £10.4m from phase three. 

As with previous active travel awards, the money is to be invested in supporting specific projects intended to improve walking and cycling infrastructure in the county. 

Bill Cotton, Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Environment and Place, said: “Active travel is essential to help us tackle traffic congestion and air quality across the county, and to make it a natural first choice for short journeys. We must make it work for people. We are committed to transforming people’s options for how they can get around in Oxfordshire without having to rely on private car journeys, and making walking or wheeling and cycling easy, safe and accessible for everyone.

“We have worked closely with local people and partner authorities to identify and plan for these improvements and I am delighted that we can now focus on delivering them so that everyone can benefit from them.”

Active Travel England and the county council have agreed that the funding is to be provided to support delivery of the following proposals and projects:

• Abingdon – Improvements to cycle ways in the heart of the town between Bridge Street and St Helen’s Wharf joining up the gap in National Cycle Network Route 5. This project is developed in partnership with national charity Sustrans.
• Witney – Improve the surface and lighting of the path running from Oxford Hill to Madley Park, a key part of a longer east-west route across Witney. Seating and wayfinding signage will also be provided along the path.
• Countywide – additional investment in delivering the ongoing school streets programme so that it can be implemented with more schools who would like to benefit from a school street.
• Countywide – provision of secure cycle parking for staff and visitors at Oxfordshire hospitals.

More information on the proposals will be published as plans are confirmed.

The funding is expected to be received imminently.

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

•  Improving access to active travel is a part of the Local Transport and Connectivity plan for the county.

The first stage of work will involve Fringford Road being closed, from 7 February to 11 April. Vehicles will be diverted by the B4100 using three-way traffic lights and narrow lanes. Pedestrians and cyclists will be diverted by Skimmingdish Lane, then down Buckingham Road/ the A4421 and finally turning into the A4095. 

When work is complete on Fringford Road in April, the existing roundabout island will be removed. Work will also take place on the B4100 northbound. 

Banbury Road will be closed from July to October this year and traffic towards Bicester will be diverted by the ring road. 

Work is planned to take place on the A4095 westbound from October 2024 through to January 2025. 

Construction is scheduled to finish with road surfacing on the B4100 in January and electrical works in early February 2025. 

Satellite navigation systems (SAT-NAV) will display updates on the road closures. 

More information

The pedestrian diversion from 7 February to 11 April uses an existing route with pedestrian crossings. 

The work is fully funded by central government, with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities providing £5.5 million and £5.2 million secured from the Growth Deal. 

Oxfordshire County Council is working with Galliford Try to construct these improvements. 

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

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

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Notes to editors

The full list of approved changes and mitigations is:

• Approve the replacement of the bollards in Divinity Road, James Street and Magdalen Road with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras. 
• Approve exemptions for emergency services, waste and postal vehicles, taxi and private hire vehicles through the restrictions enforced by ANPR on Divinity Road, James Street and Magdalen Road. The use of ANPR and/or exemptions will be reviewed prior to and during the trial of the traffic filters.
• Approve the introduction of bollards and/or planters at the junction of Jeune Street and St. Clement’s, and make Jeune Street two-way south of the restriction.
• Relocate the residential parking bay in Marston Street.
• Move the filter location on Bullingdon Road to the southwest to a point to the east of the junction with Hurst Street.
• Approve the investigation of measures to improve public transport journey times across the city and resource the interventions.

Taxis and private hire vehicles are considered part of the public transport network in Oxfordshire, alongside buses, scheduled coaches and rail. Our transport user hierarchy encourages the development of schemes that prioritise walking, cycling and public transport use. More information, can be found on pages 37 - 38 of the county council’s local transport and connectivity plan.

LTNs are designed to work with other measures including the planned traffic filters trial. Traffic filters are intended to reduce traffic levels in Oxford by managing the use of certain roads in the city by private cars. The trial will begin when Network Rail’s work to improve Oxford Rail Station is completed (expected to be autumn 2024).

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Notes to editors

• LTNs are areas where motorised traffic is prevented from taking shortcuts through a residential area. They are part of the county council’s local transport and connectivity plan and are intended to make residential streets safer and more comfortable for walking, wheeling, and cycling.
• The east Oxford LTNs were installed as a trial in the Divinity Road, St Clement’s and St Mary’s areas in May 2022. Their trial is due to finish on 19 November 2023. 
• The east Oxford LTNs were consulted on between March and June 2021, May and November 2022 and 5 June to 20 July 2023. More details can be found on Oxfordshire County Council’s website. 
• The county council’s cabinet will consider reports from public consultations, monitoring and evaluation information, including transport and air quality data, feedback from stakeholders, and contributions from speakers at the meeting, in making its decision on 17 October. 
• The full list of proposed changes and mitigations is:
  • Approve the replacement of the bollards in Divinity Road, James Street and Magdalen Road with automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras.
  • Approve exemptions for emergency services, waste and postal vehicles, taxi and private hire vehicles through the restrictions enforced by ANPR on Divinity Road, James Street and Magdalen Road. The use of ANPR and/or exemptions will be reviewed prior to and during the trial of the traffic filters.
  • Approve the introduction of bollards and/or planters at the junction of Jeune Street and St. Clement’s, and make Jeune Street two-way south of the restriction.
  • Relocate the residential parking bay in Marston Street.
  • Move the filter location on Bullingdon Road to the southwest to a point to the east of the junction with Hurst Street.
  • Approve the investigation of measures to improve public transport journey times across the city and resource the interventions.
• Taxis and private hire vehicles are considered part of the public transport network in Oxfordshire, alongside buses, scheduled coaches and rail. Our transport user hierarchy encourages the development of schemes that prioritise walking, cycling and public transport use. For more information, read pages 37 - 38 of the county council’s local transport and connectivity plan.

The decision was made today (Thursday 22 June) by the cabinet member for highways management at a delegated cabinet member decision meeting.

The use of ANPR cameras at certain locations would allow flexibility for amendments to bus services, allow for increased police patrols and offer network flexibility during unforeseen and/or emergency situations on the highway network.  

Motor vehicles without exemptions who drive through these points will be subject to a penalty charge notice*. Exemptions have been approved for emergency services, buses, taxis, private hire vehicles and universal service provider (postal service) vehicles.

The decision was made with commitments to carry out further review into:

• Blue Badge holders’ needs
• NHS carers and other carers’ needs
• road safety around the Littlehay Road junction
• potential traffic calming need in relation to the steepness of Crescent Road.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, assured the meeting of the council’s ongoing review and monitoring of its highways programmes and said: “The LTNs help to achieve some of the council’s priorities to prioritise the health and wellbeing of residents and invest in an inclusive, integrated and sustainable transport network.

“What we’re talking about today is not the principle of whether the LTNs should be there or not but about the method of enforcement and relatively minor changes to how they are enforced.

“With the commitments to review and with the provisos about keeping in touch with interested stakeholders on specific issues, I am agreeing to the two recommendations as set out in the report.”

Proposals were open for public consultation between 6 March and 17 April 2023. Exemptions were originally presented only for Littlemore Road during the consultation. Following this feedback and further discussion with emergency services, interest groups and local people, the council was asked to consider the same exemptions for Crescent Road and Littlehay Road as part of any decision making.

Exemptions will continue to be reviewed across all LTN ANPR camera locations to ensure the aims of the LTNs – to reduce through-traffic, and make the roads quieter and safer for walking, wheeling and cycling – are still achievable.

LTNs are part of the county council’s local transport and connectivity plan, designed to improve travel and transport. As part of the central Oxfordshire travel plan, they are designed to work together with other measures to reduce congestion and improve air quality.

The locations for the ANPR cameras were chosen following reviews with the emergency services and site visits. The cameras are expected to be installed early next year.

The full report to cabinet is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website (pages 9 - 64)

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

• Low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) are areas where motorised traffic is prevented from travelling through a residential area by use of planters, bollards or other measures. They create quieter, safer and more liveable streets and an attractive environment for walking and cycling.
• The Cowley LTNs were installed in March 2021 in the Church Cowley, Florence Park and Temple Cowley areas of the city. These were chosen as priority areas for LTNs as they have high volumes of through traffic on residential roads and the potential to create improved cycle routes.
• The decision to implement ANPR proposals reflects a part of the ongoing further monitoring and engagement committed to by the council in confirming that the Cowley LTNs would stay in place at a cabinet meeting in July 2022.
• *The cameras will be funded by revenue from penalty charge notices. Any funds collected in this way are restricted to being used for ANPR maintenance and operation, or relevant highways improvements.

• More information about the east Oxford LTNs, including previous consultation and engagement, is available on the county council’s website at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/eastoxfordltns 
• LTNs are areas where motorised traffic is prevented from taking shortcuts through a residential area. LTNs are implemented through an experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO), a legal process which runs for a maximum of 18 months. The three trial east Oxford LTNs cover the Divinity Road, St Clement’s, and St Mary’s areas and were installed under an ETRO in May 2022. A consultation followed for six months. 
• More information about Oxfordshire County Council’s central Oxfordshire travel plan can be found on our website oxfordshire.gov.uk/centraloxontravelplan 
• More information about Oxfordshire County Council’s local transport and connectivity plan can be found on our website oxfordshire.gov.uk/localtransportplan

European micro-mobility company Voi Technology Ltd has been chosen to continue delivering the e-scooter trial in Oxford. The national e-scooter trial, funded by the Department for Transport, is planned to finish at the end of May 2024.

Oxfordshire County Council oversaw a recent procurement exercise to select the provider for Oxford’s trial e-scooter programme from 1 June 2023 until 31 May 2024. The exercise invited competitive applications from prospective providers to ensure the programme continues to deliver the best service at zero cost to the council.

Successful bidder Voi has been at the helm of operating Oxford’s e-scooter programme since it began in Headington in 2021 with 25 e-scooters, before expanding more widely across the city. There are now over 750 Voi e-scooters available for hire in Oxford and they have been used to travel more than a combined one million miles through the city’s historic streets.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “The e-scooter trial has had a very positive reception across Oxford, and we are delighted to share that we will be continuing our partnership with Voi until the end of May 2024.

“E-scooters are affordable and easy to use for short trips. This helps us to put greener and more sustainable transport at the heart of our priority to address climate impact. And now that e-scooters can be used 24/7, they can help keep our busy city running more smoothly.”

Jack Samler, Regional General Manager for Voi UK, Ireland and France, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to have been chosen to continue providing an e-scooter service in Oxford. Over the last two years we’ve worked closely with Oxfordshire County Council to provide an e-scooter service which works for the whole of the city.     

“We are continuing to see e-scooters grow in popularity across the city as more and more people enjoy the benefits of this affordable, easy-to-use, reliable and sustainable form of transport.”

Oxford’s trial e-scooters have over 62,000 registered users. Scooters have been also provided to Oxford City Angels, a project supporting women’s safety around the city on Saturday nights. Ongoing monitoring shows that peak use of e-scooters is for short work trips on weekdays, and for social trips on weekends.

Notes to editors:

• More about the Oxford e-scooter trial can be found on the county council’s website. 
• The scheme is closely monitored, and irresponsible or unsafe use of the e-scooters is enforced with user bans from Voi – the county council’s operating partner. Incidents of bad riding practices are well managed and 0.02% of total Voi account holders (UK-wide) have been blocked.
• The public hire e-scooters operate 24 hour since October 2022 – subject to their continued safe, responsible and lawful use.

Ends

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

The Oxfordshire County Council project, delivered by Milestone Infrastructure, was aimed at improving off-road pedestrian and cycle links between residential areas in the west of Oxford and the city centre. 

It connects major city centre sites including Westgate, Oxpens and Osney Mead with some of the city’s largest residential areas via a sustainable travel route.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “We welcome the completion of this project, which will encourage more cycling and walking by providing improved and largely traffic-free connections to Oxford city centre. We know that more people want to use active travel if it is made more attractive and barriers preventing it are removed.”

The Willow Walk scheme was designed to improve the bridleway between North Hinksey Lane and Ferry Hinksey Road. The improvement work involved:

• Replacing the Willow Walk footbridge with a wider deck for pedestrian and cyclists.
• Widening and resurfacing of the existing bridleway.
• Underground utility diversion to enable the bridge replacement works to proceed.
• Reconstruction of an existing culvert near the footbridge.

The scheme was delayed by rain and high water levels but the work is now completed and open to the public.

The Willow Walk project ties in with a new shared cycle path on King George’s Field, providing an off-road path for cyclists and pedestrians linking into the existing cycle network to Oxford from the west of the city.

The work, by Oxford City Council, created a new convenient shared cycle and pedestrian path at King George’s Field, as well as the widening and improving of the existing cycle path to ensure enough space for both cyclists and pedestrians.

The shared, unsegregated pathway provides a quick, convenient, and spacious route for cyclists and pedestrians travelling between Botley and the city centre.

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The £25,000 grant supports the development of community research in Oxfordshire and provides the opportunity to bid for further funding later in the new year.

The funding will help Oxfordshire County Council’s public health team to further develop their award-winning approach to research into what makes people healthy, helping to improve health and tackle inequalities across the county.

Working alongside Aspire Oxfordshire, Banbury Muslim Mosque Society, Oxfordshire Community and Voluntary Action and Oxfordshire Mind, the funding will help build a network to support the development community-led research strategy for Oxfordshire, with a focus on the wider determinants of health and inequality.

Dr Adam Briggs, Deputy Director of Public Health at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “We are really excited to be part of this network bringing together community groups and volunteer organisations as well as local health care organisations and universities.

 “Over the next six months, the network will run a series of community events and workshops to learn about what research means to local residents and to better understand what community research is already taking place. This will put us in a great position to develop a community-led research strategy to better understand what drives poor health and inequalities in Oxfordshire and what we can do about it.”

Laura Price, Chief Executive Officer at Oxfordshire Community & Voluntary Action, said: “We’re delighted to be involved in such an important project bringing communities and their own voice and experience into research through the creation of a countywide network with so many great partners.”

Paul Roberts, Chief Executive Officer at Aspire Oxfordshire, said: “Community-led research is vital if we are to tackle the wider determinants of health and inequality effectively in Oxfordshire.

“We’re pleased to support this new development effort because we can see how it is moving absolutely in the right direction: it will help provide opportunities for engagement; it will foster a partnership approach to build trust and enable co-production of services; and it will encourage a wider range of people to be actively involved in service design and delivery.”  

Jess Willsher, Chief Executive Officer at Oxfordshire Mind, said: “For too long, decisions have been made for people rather than with them, contributing to the perpetuation of health inequalities. We’re delighted to be part of meaningful work that redresses the power imbalance, and to listen to and learn from people experiencing health inequalities. Working together, we can create positive and meaningful change, leading to healthier futures for all.

Yasmin Kaduji, Project Lead at Banbury Mosque, said: “We are keen to work with with the wider BAME community at Banbury Mosque and make them part of the research process to better understand inequalities. It’s such a pleasure to work with partners collaboratively, and together we will bring changes for the better that will lead to a better future for everyone.

Organisations and individuals who want to get involved can find out more by contacting the public health team at public.health@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Find out more about the programme, and the work of UKRI by visiting the UKRI website.

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Oxfordshire County Council has adopted the Witney Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), which will set out how to improve the town’s active travel network, reduce the reliance on single use motor vehicles and cut congestion.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “We want walking and cycling to become the everyday choice for short journeys or as part of longer journeys combined with using public transport in Witney and beyond.

“The LCWIP will help achieve a culture of walking and cycling. This can create a thriving, healthy, inclusive and climate sensitive community, where improvements enhance the environment that makes Witney a great place to live, work and visit.”

The council’s vision is that by 2041 Witney will have safe, convenient and well-connected walking (including wheeling) and cycling networks that are accessible for people of all abilities, ages and backgrounds. These networks will connect people to where they want to go, including excellent routes to access public transport.

More than 100 specific improvements are proposed in the LCWIP, including pedestrian and toucan crossings, footpath links, segregated cycle tracks, resurfacing and lighting.

The plan will be reviewed approximately every two years to ensure that it reflects local needs. The level of change in cycling and walking numbers will be monitored and modifications made if necessary.

Approval was given on 23 March by Cllr Gant at a delegated decisions meeting for the cabinet member for highways management.

The Witney LCWIP follows the implementation of town-wide 20mph limits last year, and comes ahead of aspirations to make Witney High Street a more accessible and pleasant environment for people to walk, cycle and spend time in. These will complement the measures to reduce through traffic on High Street and Market Square delivered in 2021 as part of the Active Travel Fund.

The Witney plan is the fifth LCWIP to be approved in Oxfordshire, following on from Oxford, Bicester, Abingdon, and Kidlington. Consultations have taken place for another in Banbury.

Implementing the plan is expected to make it easier for the council to negotiate funding from developers and the government once the design stage of the project begins.

Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet today adopted the plan, which includes hierarchies of road users and priority for roadworks in line with its Local Transport and Connectivity Plan and its commitment to climate action.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highway Management, said: “We face a huge challenge in meeting residents’ travel needs as the population and associated infrastructure grows, while avoiding the economic damage caused by severe congestion and enabling a zero-carbon Oxfordshire by 2050.

“We have a once in a generation opportunity to make a significant shift away from private car use, towards more flexible working patterns and greener travel choices – reducing pressure on the road network and creating the space for local traffic improvements.

“Essential to achieving our priorities and policies is a transport system that enables the efficient movement of people and goods, while promoting greater use of sustainable travel modes.

“This network management plan explores the challenges that we face and explains how we will manage Oxfordshire’s highways to deliver an effective, sustainable transport system for people and businesses.”

Key objectives of the plan include minimising disruption, providing quality information to the travelling public, supporting active travel, improving journey time reliability, and maximising the effective use of road space.

The user hierarchy prioritises walking and wheeling, cycling, riding and public transport ahead of motorcycles, shared vehicles such as car clubs, and cars, vans, and lorries.

Network management will also make decisions to support road safety, especially following the council’s adoption of the vision zero strategy to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from road traffic collisions in Oxfordshire by 2050.

There are approximately 30,000 accidents on Oxfordshire’s roads, 1,700 reported injuries – including 300 of a serious nature – and 30 deaths, with a higher proportion of serious incidents than many local authority areas due to a higher amount of rural road links on the network.

The hierarchy for the priority of roadworks is:

• emergency repairs
• works of national importance (such as HS2 and East West Rail)
• county council new and improved infrastructure projects
• digital connectivity infrastructure projects
• large public events
• major utility infrastructure and works
• small scale utilities
• highway maintenance activities.

The county council receives more than 35,000 applications to work on the roads each year – 87 per cent of which come from utility companies – with approximately 600 live sites on the network at any one time.

The county council is responsible for the maintenance of more than 4,500km of roads in Oxfordshire. As in other parts of the UK, the condition of the road network has deteriorated over recent years as government funding has not kept up with need.

The report warns that the potential impact of housing and jobs growth on the county’s transport networks could see traffic on many junctions exceed capacity by 2031, with severe delays on many routes, especially the A34, A40, A338 and A4074.

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An award-winning active travel study carried out by the University of Bristol and Oxfordshire County Council has now been published.

The qualitative study was carried out between May and October 2022 to learn more about active travel priorities – travel that involves some physical activity – and what might help people adopt more active habits. The study focused on cycling and walking for commuters and older people aged 65 to 75 living independently in Bicester and Witney.

The study received the “outstanding contribution to public health or social care research” award from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHCR) at the 2022 Thames Valley Health Research Awards last year.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “We know that road, pavement and cycle path improvements are essential to promoting active travel, but people face many other barriers to cycling and walking.

“This study provided an important opportunity for local people to explain in detail what would make a difference to them and it will help Oxfordshire County Council to improve the support we offer and the network changes we provide.”

The study looked at groups of people who had been identified as having the best opportunity to take up more active travel. Bicester and Witney were chosen because most key destinations in people’s daily travel are a walkable, or wheelable distance.

As a key element to the study, participants discussed active travel improvements for Bicester and Witney that would encourage them to walk or wheel and cycle more. 

In Bicester, these changes include improving walking, wheeling and cycling connectivity from the west of the town to Bicester centre, with an off-road shared-use footway and cycleway, better signage and reduced speed limits.

In Witney, recent works have aimed to improve walking and cycling between west and east Witney, going through the town centre. The works include wider crossings, better signage and reduced speed limits.

Other initiatives include ‘bike library’ cycle borrow schemes, free bike repairs and training, and walking and cycling groups. Further improvements in both towns will be pursued as funding becomes available.

The research study, ‘Active Travel in Oxfordshire – a qualitative study of active travel amongst commuters and older adults living in market towns’ was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Public Health Intervention Responsive Studies Teams (PHIRST) scheme.

You can read more about the study on the PHIRST website

Related news from Oxfordshire County Council:

•  Have your say on updated plans to improve walking and cycling in Witney (06.12.2022)
• £10.4 million awarded for active travel improvements in Oxfordshire (19.05.2022)
• Oxfordshire’s public health research recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (03.08.2022)

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Oxfordshire County Council has started its second and final consultation for the Banbury Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP), which will set out how to improve the town’s active travel network over the next 10 years.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “We are grateful to the people who took part in our consultation in May, and we would urge them – and others – to get involved again to see the plans in full, including more details about the proposed walking routes.

“Our aim is to prioritise active travel, such as cycling and walking, over road capacity for cars. Projects like this Banbury LCWIP show practical ways that we can help people to reduce their reliance on cars for short journeys, and helps the council tackle climate action, improve air quality and create a healthier Oxfordshire.

“The feedback we receive from the public, from businesses and other organisations will help us make these proposals a success. We want as many people as possible to take part so we can develop a better-connected active travel network.”

People can take part in the consultation, including the full document and maps of suggested routes within Banbury and connections to neighbouring villages, at letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/banbury-lcwip until 26 February.

Anyone wanting more information can attend a drop-in session at Banbury Town Hall on Wednesday 1 February, 11am - 5pm.

LCWIPs help councils identify where transport infrastructure – such as cycleways and pedestrian crossings – should be implemented or improved to enable residents to cycle and walk safely and conveniently over the next 10 years. They also increase the chances of securing funds from the government and developers for active travel infrastructure.

If approved, the Banbury plan would follow on from LCWIPs in Oxford, Bicester, and Kidlington, while others are proposed for Abingdon and Witney.

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Oxfordshire County Council has secured £520,415 from the government’s Active Travel Capability Fund to invest in improving access to active travel options across the county. 

This investment will be used to deliver projects that enable more people to walk, wheel or cycle as a first choice for local transport. It will also be used to enhance high streets and improve access to work and education. 

Active Travel Minister, Jesse Norman, announced an additional £32.9 million of government funding under an Active Travel Capability Fund last week. The fund supports Active Travel England’s ambition for half of all journeys within English towns and cities to be made through walking, wheeling, or cycling by 2030. 

The funding enables the council to deliver more of its wider active travel strategy across South and Vale, Cherwell and West Oxfordshire districts. 

Ongoing reporting on shifts to active modes of travel in Oxford, Bicester, and Witney over the last two years all show increases ranging from six to 33 per cent. 

Councillor Duncan Enright, Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, said: “This is fantastic news. It will help us to support people across the county to get around quicker, easier and more safely. Our ambitions to make Oxford a champion cycling city are well advanced and we are working to improve cycling, walking and wheeling routes around the county. 

“We aim to work closely with community groups, workplaces and schools over the coming year to develop and implement positive change in people’s access to better travel options. This will, help Oxfordshire to reduce car journeys by at least a quarter by 2030 and double the numbers of journeys made by bike, on foot, or by wheelchair or scooter.” 

The active travel funding must be used for specific projects approved by the Department for Transport. The projects are expected to directly benefit more than 19,000 people locally and include: 

• Developing local cycling and walking infrastructure plans for Wantage and Grove and Thame. 
• Planning for priority cycleways identified in Banbury, Bicester, Kidlington, and Witney. 
• Extending the county council bike library scheme to enable low-income families to be able to cycle to school. 
• Sustaining use of the Street Tag walk to school app to encourage participation from more schools across the county. 
• Community cycle loan services, cycle maintenance training and community bike repair stands. 
• Implementing cycle safety support in secondary schools and workplaces. 
• Creating user-friendly local cycling and walking/wheeling maps. 

These initiatives are critical to enable people to change how they travel and to ensure that residents who face greater barriers to cycling and walking receive the support they need to become more physically active. 

Councillor Dan Levy, Oxfordshire County Council Active Travel Champion, said: “We are now focusing on our larger market towns to ensure we progress well with delivering an excellent cycling network across the county that provides joined-up routes. Through the start of this year we will be planning an inter-connected strategy ensuring that these new projects complement our existing active travel initiatives, including those we are embedding into new housing and transport delivery. These will answer local need and deliver on our wider ambitions for Oxfordshire as a leader in green travel options that are sustainable and practicable.” 

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 
• Active Travel England is an executive agency of the UK government Department for Transport. 
• Read the government’s press release on additional active travel funding. 


 

Plastic bollards installed as a part of the experimental low traffic neighbourhoods (LTN) scheme in east Oxford are to be replaced by steel ones, Oxfordshire County Council has announced.

Funding of £100,000 has been allocated to install new steel bollards at all LTN filter sites in east Oxford. Oxfordshire County Council has consulted with emergency services and kept them informed of decisions.

The decision was made following unprecedented levels of vandalism to the plastic bollards initially installed as a part of the trial. The steel bollards will continue to allow exempt vehicles to pass through.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Highways Management said: “This is a key moment in the continuation of the LTN trial in east Oxford. Ongoing damage has come at a significant cost to both the council and Thames Valley Police in both time and money, with potentially serious consequences for people’s safety. Damage to the bollards and persistent use of the low traffic neighbourhood streets as through-roads is not only a risk for the safety of road users but impacts monitoring data quality, which could delay the decision on the trial.”

Rob MacDougall, Chief Fire Officer for Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “The Fire and Rescue service is aware of the plans to replace the existing plastic bollards for the east Oxford LTNs with steel ones. Emergency services will still be able to remove these metal bollards to gain access when needed. When the existing bollards have been damaged by being driven over or vandalism to the locking mechanism, it has taken up valuable time when we have needed to gain access.”

Supply and installation of the steel bollards is expected to take up to twelve weeks, during which time Oxfordshire County Council will continue to replace damaged or removed bollards.

Anyone can share their views on the east Oxford LTN trial by completing the consultation survey before the end of this month, or by contacting the team by email.  All feedback received will help to inform the decision made by the Council on whether to make the trial filters permanent.

Ends

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

On Tuesday 18 October, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet approved an updated guide for parking standards for new developments. It means developers will need to work collaboratively with the council to help achieve the targets set in the Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP), which was adopted earlier this year.

The LTCP aims create a net zero transport system in Oxfordshire by 2040, improving health and wellbeing, tackling the climate emergency, reducing private vehicle use, and prioritising walking, cycling, and public transport.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, said: “We know that in future people are going to use cars less frequently. Our new standards place much more emphasis on cycles, shared car clubs, and public transport than on multiple cars per household.

“Striking the right balance by providing an appropriate level and type of parking, while also protecting highway safety for all users and promoting active and sustainable transport modes, is essential. We also need to be aware of the viability of new developments for developers and people who will live there.”

The new parking standards document will be used to help determine the level of parking at new developments and provides the basis for the council’s advice to local planning authorities on the soundness of their policies.

It can also be a mechanism for improving the levels of cycle parking in areas that will benefit from the popularity of cycling for leisure and commuting purposes.

Cllr Enright, alongside Cabinet Member for Highways management Cllr Andrew Gant and Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment Cllr Pete Sudbury, will review issues raised by the scrutiny committee and bring an update back to cabinet before the end of the year.

The LTCP is a wide-ranging document with 54 policies and aims to provide the backbone for the council’s commitment to invest in an inclusive, integrated and sustainable transport network for the county.

It looks at ways of reducing the need to travel and discouraging unnecessary individual private vehicle use through making walking, cycling, public and shared transport the natural first choice. Its aims include reducing the number of car journeys in the county by more than half by 2040.

Last month, the council’s cabinet approved new requirements for transport planning based on the principle of ‘decide and provide’ rather than ‘predict and provide’, which will also help achieve the aims of the LTCP.

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E-scooters in Oxford are now available for hire 24 hours a day in a move that will help users, including busy shift workers, to keep moving easily throughout the day and night. Since launching, journeys made using the trial e-scooters are estimated to have replaced around 150,000 equivalent car journeys.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “The e-scooter trial is a part of our commitment to provide sustainable ways to travel in Oxford. We have had clear feedback from our residents that extending the hours the trial e-scooters operate would be of great benefit.

“The extension to operational hours opens up another travel option, acknowledging that many people across the city are making important journeys for work and leisure outside the typical nine to five hours, and they should have an environmentally responsible option to do this.

“I urge all users to follow Voi’s guidelines to use the e-scooters responsibly for their own safety and safety of others on our roads. We will carefully monitor the extension of the operating hours with Voi over the coming weeks to ensure the scheme is performing as we would hope.”

The trial e-scooters can be hired and ridden from dedicated points all around the city, and work in set zones according to traffic permissions within the city (they will shut off if brought into a pedestrianised zone). Trial e-scooters must be parked at a designated Voi e-scooter point to finish the hire session.

Grace Packard, Senior Public Policy Manager at Voi, said: “The key to fundamentally changing our lifestyles and creating better cities for living means developing an inclusive service for those who may need to use transport during non-traditional working hours, especially for people working in the night-time economy.

“Extending our operating times to become a more convenient 24-hour, 7-day week service will encourage many more people to hop on and travel sustainably and safely to get around the city for work or to get home.”

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

• Further information regarding the trial can be found on our dedicated webpage located here: http://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/escootertrial
• There are guidelines for responsible riding, winter riding tips and details of free safer riding skills training on Voi’s website. When hiring the e-scooters, riders must:
  • be over 18 and hold a provisional or full driving licence
  • follow the Highway Code including not riding on the pavement and not using a mobile device while riding
  • not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs
  • must not ride tandem

Plans for dozens of 30mph roads in Witney to have their speed limits lowered to 20mph have been approved. It becomes the first town wide location in the county to make the change as a direct result of Oxfordshire County Council’s 20mph policy change and associated programme which was announced earlier this year.

Councillor Liz Leffman, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, approved the measures at a meeting on Thursday 21 July. The changes are expected to be implemented and new signage installed later this year.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “This is a landmark moment for our ambitious 20mph policy, which we are spending up to £8 million on over a three year period. Witney is the first and the biggest project we are undertaking in this phase of the programme and we believe these changes will make the town a safer, quieter, and less polluted place and will encourage more people to cycle and walk – reducing the county’s carbon footprint.”

Councillor Liz Duncan, Mayor of Witney and Chair of a Town Council Working Party set up to develop the scheme, said: “It is exciting to see this comprehensive 20mph scheme coming to our town, bringing improved road safety for residential streets, reducing the risks of death and injury. We have received many requests from residents for the reduced speed limit and this whole town approach will bring huge benefits.

“As well as safer streets, other similar schemes have seen reductions in traffic noise, better air quality and increased physical activity because with roads feeling safer, people are happier to leave the car at home and walk or cycle instead.”

The county council has been inundated with requests from towns and villages to bring in 20mph zones since it launched the policy in February. The first two phases of the project are now fully booked, although communities can still apply to be part of the third delivery phase which takes place in 2024 - 25.

Cllr Gant added: “Witney is just the start, and more than 70 other towns and villages will be benefiting from reduced speeds in the next financial year – followed by hundreds more in the next two years.

“The recent decision in Wales shows that 20mph is becoming the accepted speed limit for residential areas, and Oxfordshire County Council is at the forefront of bringing about that change. It is well-known that the survival rate for people involved in accidents increases as speeds are reduced.”

There is a clear link between the speed of traffic and the likelihood of accidents happening in which people are killed or injured. You are seven times more likely to survive if you are hit by a car driving at 20mph than if you are hit at 30mph.

The scheme is free to town and parish councils, with the county council funding sign-only changes for areas wishing to be part of the changes as long as locations meet the agreed criteria for 20mph restrictions.

Town and parish councils will be expected to fund any traffic calming measures or speed-activated signs that may be required to support the new limit in their areas.

Applications for 20mph streets and roads need to be supported by the parish or town council and by the relevant local county councillor. More information, including a timetable of where and when forthcoming projects are taking place, is available on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Oxfordshire County Council has already implemented five 20mph pilot sites to test the impact of the policy in Cuxham, Long Wittenham, Wallingford Central, Wallingford North, and Kirtlington. Early data has shown these measures have had a positive impact on reducing speeds.

While the council has been working alongside Thames Valley Police – who did not object to the 20mph proposals for Witney – the emphasis is on drivers adhering to the new limits through a change of mindset, rather than enforcement. It is hoped that as 20mph areas become more common, breaking the limit will become socially unacceptable for drivers.

The council is also committed to working with key stakeholders including bus, taxi, and haulage companies, as well as major businesses, throughout the process. Officers will work with the bus companies to ensure that the impact on services is minimal.

The changes, which had the backing of West Oxfordshire District Council as well as Witney Town Council, will also involve the reduction of some speed limits from 50mph to 40mph and from 40mph to 30mph around the town.

County council officers have said they will look to minimise potential street clutter by making sure only the legally required amount of signage is placed around the town.

The 20mph programme also fits in with the council’s vision zero policy, which aims to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from Oxfordshire’s roads by 2050.

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People can now have their say on a proposal for permanent measures to restrict motor vehicle access to four school streets during school start and finish times to create a safer environment for children, parents and teachers to walk, wheel or cycle to school.

Championed by Oxfordshire County Council, and supported by Sustrans, the school streets programme initially ran as a trial with nine schools last year under an experimental trial regulation order (ETRO). Following some great results from the trial, four of the participating schools now wish to make the school streets programme permanent from September 2022. 

The participating schools are Larkrise Primary School, St Ebbe’s Church of England Primary School and Windmill Primary School in Oxford, and St Nicolas Church of England Primary School in Abingdon.

The measures propose to restrict traffic from the road accessing each participating school’s entrance for around 45 minutes each during school start and finish times during term time only. Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will be operated during these times and permanent signs at the road entrances will be used to warn and inform people.

People can have their say online on Let’s Talk Oxfordshire until 26 August 2022.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “Safe streets are essential to build confidence and encourage children and their parents to walk, wheel or cycle. School streets create a welcoming and attractive environment where children can thrive, be healthier and happier because they have the added benefit of reducing air pollution and traffic congestion.

“School streets will help embed active travel habits amongst children as they grow. This will contribute to our vision of making walking, cycling, public and shared transport the natural first choice for everyone. I am delighted that several schools from the trial reported that the programme worked very well for them and are committed to continuing with it. The sterling input from school communities and local residents to help achieve this success cannot be understated. 

We look forward to hearing your views on our consultation to make these school streets safer and encourage other schools wishing to participate to contact us.”

Schools wishing to join future school streets trials are invited to contact the schools active travel team by emailing schoolsactivetravel@oxfordshire.gov.uk .

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 

• More about school streets can be found on our website
• You can read the results from the 2021/2022 school streets trial online. The report was written for Oxfordshire County Council by Sustrans
• Sustrans is a charity group dedicated to making it easier for people to walk and cycle, by supporting in creating healthier places and happier people

Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet unveiled its draft Local Transport and Connectivity Plan (LTCP) last October, which – among its many ambitions – aims to cut car journeys by a quarter by 2030 and reduce them by a third by 2040.

It also plans to increase the number of cycling trips from 600,000 to one million by 2031 and deliver a zero carbon transport network by 2040.

On Tuesday, the council’s cabinet approved the contents of the LTCP for adoption by the county council next month. This included strategies for freight and logistics, active travel, and innovation.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Travel and Development Strategy, said: “We are incredibly grateful to the people who spared the time to take part in this consultation. More than 1,000 people made the effort and the fact that there was overall support for our vision, key themes, and targets shows that there is understanding of the need to make transport more sustainable.

“We know that this is just the start and that we face considerable challenges along the way. There will be tough decisions around how we use existing road space, but it is healthy to start these conversations and to look at alternatives to single occupancy cars, which can only lead to more congestion and pollution for our county.”

The LTCP is a wide-ranging document with 54 policies, which aim to provide the backbone for the council’s commitment to invest in an inclusive, integrated and sustainable transport network for the county.

It looks at ways of reducing the need to travel and discouraging unnecessary individual private vehicle use through making walking, cycling, public and shared transport the natural first choice.

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Damage to traffic filters around east Oxford, as well as the Cowley area where trial LTNs were installed in 2021, is creating significant safety concerns, as well as a substantial cost to the taxpayer. The costs for damage to bollards and planters has now topped £12,000 since the measures were launched on 20 May.

The council will continue to make safe and reinstate all damaged bollards that have been forcibly knocked down or uprooted and is currently in the process of replacing filters on Leopold Street, Howard Street, Rectory Road, Southfield Road and Divinity Road. 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Cabinet Member for Highways Management at Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The safety of everyone using and living on these roads is our utmost priority. The damage that has been done has not only created confusion and increased the risk of traffic incidents, but it may also prevent emergency services being able to gain access if the mechanisms allowing the bollards to be lowered are impacted. 

“Vandalism of this kind is a serious criminal offence and I would urge anyone who is thinking of damaging any of these filters to think twice.

“I understand that some community members are voluntarily creating human barriers to vehicles trying to enter LTN areas through damaged filters. But I would again urge that people are mindful of their own safety and wait for bollards to be restored where they have been removed.

“We are committed to listening to all views on these experimental measures and the right way to make your voice heard is to take part in our public consultation. We want to ensure everyone has the opportunity to voice their views on these trial measures, which cannot be implemented without engagement with those affected.”

An LTN is an area where motorised traffic is prevented from taking shortcuts through a residential area by traffic filters. The aim of this is to create quieter and safer streets which have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of local residents and encourage people to make more local journeys by bus, by cycle or on foot.

Everyone who wishes to express an opinion on the measures can do so by responding to the council’s public consultation at letstalk.oxfordshire.gov.uk/east-oxford-ltns-2022. 

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