The public consultation is being run jointly by Oxfordshire County Council, Oxfordshire Care Partnership and The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJ). It is considering the future of residential care at the two sites, including whether the care homes should close. No decisions have been made.

People are being encouraged to respond before the consultation closes on 21 October and to make sure their views help inform the recommendations that will be considered by the council’s cabinet at a public meeting on 1 December.

The residents of both care homes and their families remain at the centre of the process. They are being supported throughout, including residents who pay for their own care.

The council’s digital engagement and consultation platform, Let’s talk Oxfordshire, includes frequently asked questions that address some of the points already raised during the consultation.

The responses cover care provision in the surrounding communities, the future use of the buildings and the context of the proposals.

Karen Fuller, Director of Adult Social Services, said: “No decisions have been made. I encourage everyone with an interest in the future of Henry Cornish Care Centre or Townsend House to respond while there is still time and make sure their views are heard.

“The residents of these two care homes and their families are our main priority. We would also encourage employees and members of the community to have their say by taking part in the public consultation and sharing their views directly with the council.

“We understand that there are some concerns in the surrounding communities, and we want to hear as many viewpoints as possible.”

There are two separate consultations running in parallel, one for each care home. They can be found on Let’s talk Oxfordshire.

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The recommendations of the Street Voices Citizens’ Jury on transport, health and climate change was heard at Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet on 21 February.

Led by, and in collaboration with, colleagues at Oxford University, the jury brought together 16 people broadly who were representative of the population of Oxford to explore issues relating to the question “how can we travel where we need to in Oxford in ways that are good for health and the climate?”

The University identified Headington as their preferred locality as an area clearly with the city but not part of a pre-existing low traffic neighbourhood (LTN) pilot scheme. 

The jury met over four weekends in June and July 2022 and made 41 recommendations. Already 25 of these recommendations have work being undertaken or under consideration. Themes included public transport, active travel, private vehicles and congestion, education and public engagement, and infrastructure.

The list in full is available to read by going to the cabinet agenda webpage.

Councillor Duncan Enright, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Travel & Development Strategy, said: “We welcome the recommendations of the citizens’ jury. Travel, health and climate change are key issues for Oxford residents and will be for years. Many of the recommendations from this jury are already being acted upon and will provide us with crucial guidance to help us shape future policy in a way that reflects the needs of the wider population.” 

Councillor Glynis Phillips, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Corporate Services, said: “The citizens’ jury was an opportunity for a diverse group of local citizens from different backgrounds and circumstances, and with different viewpoints, to have an honest conversation and work together to find solutions to critical issues that impact everyone – in this case transport, health and climate change.

“By working with colleagues at Oxford University, the citizens’ jury is completely independent of the council, which we hope reassures those involved that the recommendations reflect the local population.”

The Citizens’ Jury was supported by an advisory group of practitioners and researchers in relevant fields, as well as local politicians and campaigners. This helped to oversee the legitimacy of the process.

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Demolition work for the two blocks, located in the laybys on the north and southbound A40 corridor between Headington and Wheatley, is due to begin on 9 January 2023 and is expected to last two weeks.

They are being demolished due to ongoing health and safety concerns about the site, antisocial behaviour, damage, and vandalism. The cost to Oxfordshire County Council to maintain and repair the facilities is more than £60,000 a year.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Management, said: “Although some members of the local community will be disappointed to lose these facilities, we have no option but to reluctantly demolish these crumbling and out of date buildings that have become a magnet for criminal and antisocial activity.

“Facilities like these are important, especially to the haulage industry, and we would ask the government to look at giving local authorities the support we need to ensure Oxfordshire has suitable infrastructure for HGVs and their drivers.”

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The launch is part of a trial led by Oxfordshire County Council and Swedish e-scooter operator Voi Technology. This follows the government’s decision to legalise rental e-scooters in 2020, to support local green travel, as e-scooters offer clean and inexpensive transport.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment, Oxfordshire County Council, said: “Our electric scooter trial in Oxford with Voi has brought us an exciting opportunity to explore alternative and green transport options for our communities. As a county council, we have set out our continued commitment to addressing climate change and transport innovation is a key part of that. The trial also comes just ahead of our planned launch of the Oxford Zero Emission Zone this summer.”

Richard Corbett, Regional General Manager of UK, Ireland and Benelux for Voi, said: “We are delighted Oxfordshire County Council to bring our shared e-scooter scheme to the region. Oxfordshire is renowned for being the home of technological innovations, making it an ideal location for people to sample this revolutionary form of transport.

“This trial heralds an important opportunity for residents to move around in a socially distanced manner while the pandemic continues. Besides being one of the most environmentally-efficient ways to travel, our scooters can easily be integrated with public transport, replacing short car journeys. As we head towards the green recovery, micromobility can shape our cities for the future, making them better and safer places for all."

E-scooters provide a convenient and accessible form of travel for point-to-point- journeys or the first and last mile of public transport. This helps to reduce the need for short car journeys, improving air quality. They will also contribute towards the reduction in congestion and carbon emissions.

The plans also form part of Oxfordshire County Council’s response to the government’s active travel grant awarded in 2020. In Oxford, the scooters will reap the benefits of a freshly reinvigorated active travel network from this funding.

The trial, starting with 50 scooters, covers an area of Headington but will gradually expand to include the whole city as demand increases. Rental scooters can use roads and cycle lanes within the trial area but are banned on pavements. The scooters are also tracked by GPS and regularly serviced. In addition, there will be slow riding, no riding and mandatory parking areas to ensure the safety of riders and other road users.

Under current regulations, e-scooter users must be over 18 and hold a provisional or full driving licence. To ride a scooter, users are required to download the Voi app, available for free on Apple App Store and present a valid driving licence.

It costs £1 to unlock the scooter and then 20p per minute of usage. Voi also offers several subscriptions that allow users to take an unlimited number of rides at a fixed rate. The subscriptions can be purchased in the app. There are also special rates for students, and those on low incomes and Voi is currently offering free rides to NHS and emergency service staff.

Users are strongly encouraged to wear helmets and scooter speeds are initially restricted to 10mph. In the first two weeks, scooters can be hired 6am - 10pm.

Voi will collaborate with Oxfordshire County Council to support rider education, amongst other things, by offering incentives and encouraging riders to take Voi’s accredited e-scooter digital traffic school which has trained over half a million users.

Oxfordshire County Council has also worked with Oxford City Council’s inclusive transport focus group, to ensure that the trial considers how it can be accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities.

Voi is also committed to upholding the council’s health and safety policy by providing riders with safety advice through its app and other educational campaigns. In addition, Voi’s e-scooters are cleaned and disinfected regularly to ensure that they cannot become a source of infection. They are also fitted with handlebars that have a special material that inhibits the transmission of viruses and bacteria, offering antibacterial, bactericidal and antiviral protection.

The council is also working with Voi to look at how e-scooters can form part of the evolving mobility infrastructure for Oxfordshire. There is also scope to expand the trial to other towns across Oxfordshire if there is demand.

The launch is part of a 12 month trial led by Oxfordshire County Council and Swedish e-scooter operator Voi Technology. This follows the government decision to legalise rental e-scooters earlier this year, to support a green restart of local travel.

E-scooters offer a socially distanced, outdoor mode of transport, particularly important while the current lockdown measures remain in place. They also provide a convenient and accessible way of transport for point-to-point- journeys or the first and last mile of public transport, reducing the need for short car journeys, and improving air quality. The e-scooters will also contribute towards the reduction in congestion and carbon emissions.

The plans come as part of the government’s active travel grant announced in 2020.

Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet Member for Environment, Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“Our electric scooter trials in Oxford with Voi have brought us an exciting opportunity to explore alternative and green transport options for our communities. As a county council, we have set out our continued commitment to addressing climate change and transport innovation is a key part of that.”

Richard Corbett, Regional General Manager of UK, Ireland and Benelux for Voi, said:

“We are delighted to be working with Oxfordshire County Council to bring our shared e-scooter scheme to the region. Voi e-scooters play an essential role in getting people, particularly key workers, to move around safely during the pandemic. As we move on, micro-mobility will continue to play a strategic part in the green recovery of our cities and towns, offering a flexible and low carbon way to travel. E-scooters can easily be integrated with public transport, replacing short car journeys, ultimately creating better cities for living, free of pollution and congestion.”

The trial will begin with an area of Headington but will gradually expand to include wider areas of the city as demand increases. Rental scooters will be allowed to use on roads and cycle lanes within the trial area but will be banned on pavements.

Under current regulations, rented e-scooter users must be over 18 and hold a provisional or full driving licence. Users are strongly encouraged to wear helmets and scooter speeds will be restricted to 10 mph. Privately owned e-scooters remain illegal to use in public spaces and roads. 

Voi will collaborate with Oxfordshire County Council to support rider education encouraging riders to take Voi’s accredited e-scooter traffic school, RideLikeVoila, which has trained over half a million users to date.

Voi is also committed to upholding the council’s health and safety policy by providing riders with safety and COVID-19 information and advice through its app and other educational campaigns.

Oxfordshire County Council is working with Voi to look at how e-scooters can form part of the evolving mobility ecosystem for Oxfordshire. There is also scope to expand the trial to other towns across the county if there is demand.

The trial is due to begin in February after a licence to operate is granted to the council by the Department for Transport.

Oxford Brookes University and Oxford University are working alongside Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and the NHS to make sure arrangements are in place for a safe start to the new academic year – and that students are encouraged to protect themselves and others as Oxfordshire continues to seek to #stopthespread.

The measures include boosting testing capacity– Oxford University is providing its own service, and Oxford Brookes has been working with Oxfordshire County Council to establish an on-site Coronavirus testing facility which is now available via appointment for the local community, as well as Oxford Brookes students and staff.

There will also be additional local contact tracing systems at both universities to track attendance in key areas across campuses. Local outbreak control plans are in place, which have been tested through joint exercises, and all students are being provided with advice and guidance about how to protect themselves and others. Both universities have also published new documents setting out their clear expectations for student behaviour during the ongoing pandemic, , both on and off campus.

Large-scale lectures will not be delivered face-to-face, with the universities instead delivering online learning. Only small scale and individual teaching will take place on campuses. Extensive risk assessments have been carried out in line with Health and Safety Executive guidance.

These initiatives are designed to help keep the virus under control as Oxford looks towards the new university year.

An online event is being organised by Oxford City Council for residents to hear from both universities, the City and County Councils and Thames Valley Police about arrangements for the safe return of students. The event is planned for later this month and will also be an opportunity for residents to put questions to these organisations. More details will be published nearer the time.

Ansaf Azhar, Director of Public Health at Oxfordshire County Council, said:

“It’s important to remember that the virus is as active as ever, so we’ve implemented a range of measures designed to protect incoming students and Oxford residents.

“While it’s easy for students to get carried away amid all the excitement of a new university year, it’s vitally important they remember that the virus still presents a risk and take preventative action and get tested promptly if they show symptoms.

“We’re encouraging students and residents alike to follow those simple measures that help keep us all safe – keep your distance, wash your hands, wear a face covering. If we all do these things, we will avoid having to introduce measures that we’ve seen elsewhere in England.”

Councillor Susan Brown, Leader of Oxford City Council, said:

“Students are a vital part of our city’s life and our economy, and I would like to warmly welcome them back to Oxford. Our two universities have put in place measures to minimise the risk from the virus to students, university staff and the wider Oxford population. We all, students and permanent residents, need to abide by the health guidelines to keep Oxford’s communities safe.

“Oxford is a beautiful city and we are proud that each year we get to welcome students from around the world who will call Oxford their new home. I would encourage students arriving in our city to help protect their new community and themselves, by following the guidance around stopping the spread of COVID-19.”

Professor Alistair Fitt, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford Brookes University said:

“The safety of the community is paramount in our preparations for the new academic year. Over the summer we have been working tirelessly to put in place a large number of precautions, in line with government and public health advice, to ensure the safe return of our staff and students. This includes a University test and trace system, enhanced cleaning, social distancing measures and a Covid testing facility at our Headington Campus.

“We know that safety measures on campus will only be effective if they are accompanied by responsible behaviour from our students within the wider community. We have been in regular contact with our new and returning students over the summer and will continue to share videos and other information on acceptable behaviour which complies with the latest government guidance.

“We are immensely proud of our strong community links and will continue to work closely with local councils to ensure the safety of all, whilst providing a rich educational experience for our students.”

Jan Royall, joint head of Oxford University's Michaelmas Coordination Group together with Karen O'Brien, said:

"Oxford University and its colleges look forward to welcoming all new and continuing students for Michaelmas term. The health and safety of all who study and work here, and the wider community in Oxford, is our highest priority, and we have been making adjustments to the way we live and work. All students whether they live in colleges or private accommodation, will be required to sign a Student Responsibility Agreement which commits them to following University and local public health guidelines in order to protect our fellow citizens in the City as well as the University and colleges. In order to reinforce messages to our community a health campaign was launched this week.

"The University is putting in place additional safety measures ahead of Michaelmas Term, including a testing service, face coverings, social distancing, careful planning of building access, hand and surface sanitation, ventilation, use of Perspex screens and other measures. Additionally, the University's COVID-19: Early Alert Service (EAS) is also working in conjunction with local public health experts to ensure an effective internal strategy to contain outbreaks."

More information

Both universities have set up coronavirus web pages that include information for residents as well as students and staff

Oxford University: https://www.ox.ac.uk/coronavirus

Oxford Brookes University: https://www.brookes.ac.uk/alerts/coronavirus/

Access to Headington is a £16m project which will deliver improved accessibility and amenity for cyclists, pedestrians and bus users as well as improving traffic flow with new intelligent traffic signals.

This phase of work had previously been postponed, however during recent months the team has carried out some work outside the John Radcliffe Hospital which allows us to make certain sections of the work shorter and less disruptive.

The Headley Way work has been designed to minimise the impact on traffic as far as possible and includes building new cycle and pedestrian infrastructure and the conversion of the John Radcliffe Hospital access roundabout and the double mini-roundabouts at Marsh Lane into traffic light controlled junctions.

Most of the construction work will be done using narrow lanes to allow traffic to flow with access to the hospital to operating largely how it does normally. Overall the disruption is expected to be similar to the impact of the recent work on The Slade and people are urged to plan their journeys and check with the bus companies in case services they use are affected.

The team will begin work at the double mini-roundabout near Marsh Lane in order to move the islands and the roundabouts. This work will take approximately three weeks to complete and will be done under temporary traffic lights. Once that is complete, they will carry out some work outside the John Radcliffe Hospital which will take approximately two weeks to complete, this will also be under temporary traffic lights.

Traffic will then go back to two-way, under narrow lanes, whilst we continue to construct the two new junctions at each end of Headley Way.

The work on Headley Way is expected to complete in Mar 2019.

Find out more

We will be holding a drop in session with the project team on Friday 4 May at the Northway Community Centre, Dora Carr Close, Oxford, OX3 9RF between 2pm and 4pm. The information regarding the scheme has not changed since previous exhibitions and there will be no new information however if you have any questions regarding the scheme, the team will be available.

Access to Headington is a £12.5m project which will deliver improved accessibility and amenity for cyclists, pedestrians and bus users as well as improving traffic flow with new intelligent traffic signals.

The next phase of the work will start on Headley Way in mid-January 2018 and be complete in September.

This stage was postponed earlier in the year to allow Thames Water to carry out emergency sewer works in St Clement’s Street without having an unacceptable impact on the diverted traffic from that area.

The Headley Way work has been designed to minimise the impact on traffic as far as possible and includes building new cycle and pedestrian infrastructure and the conversion of the John Radcliffe Hospital access roundabout and the double mini-roundabouts at Marsh Lane into traffic light controlled junctions.

Most of the construction work will be done using narrow lanes to allow traffic to flow with access to the hospital to operating largely how it does normally. Overall the disruption is expected to be similar to the impact of the current works on The Slade.

County Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet member for Environment, said: “The initial few weeks are expected to be the most disruptive as work needs to be done to remove traffic islands and create the lanes for vehicles to use.

“Road users on Headley Way are advised to leave additional time to complete their journey.

“We appreciate that many people can’t avoid using their own cars and so we would urge them to plan their journeys. For those that have other options it would be a good idea to investigate walking, cycling or public transport.”

More information on Access to Headington can be found here:

www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/accessheadington

To find out more on proposals to introduce a 40mph speed limit between Radley & Kennington, replacing the existing 60mph National speed limit on Kennington Road - between Radley and Kennington, visit this page.  

In the Headington West area of Oxford the county council is proposing to introduce some new double yellow lines on Stapleton Road to prevent driveway obstruction. To find out more visit this page. 

On the A4165 Banbury Road in the Summertown area of Oxford the county council is consulting on proposals to install a Puffin crossing on Banbury Road approximately 10 metres north of its junction with Hernes Road and to introduce a No Right Turn restriction for traffic exiting Hernes Road onto A4165 Banbury Road. More details are available here.

The worn out lines will be replaced and minor changes made to the lane destination markings on the A4142 northbound approach.

Traffic management for the work will be put in place at around 8pm and work is expected to finish by 5am and continue for up to five nights. The route will be open to traffic at all times although capacity will be reduced due to the work areas being coned off.

Completion of the work will be weather dependent.

The team are currently working on phase 3 (between Cinnaminta Road and the mini roundabout at Hollow Way) whilst also finishing phase 2 (between Peat Moors and Cinnaminta Road). The work continues as before, with the conconstruction of a new cycle way separate from the footway and the road and the drainage also being replaced.

The pedestrian crossing at Dene Road is closed this week and a temporary crossing installed. This is to accommodate work to a new crossing which, once complete, will mark the completion of phase 2.

The side of The Slade where the work is currently happening is scheduled to be complete early September when we will then be looking to begin work on the Wood Farm side of the road.

Residents are being kept informed of the work taking place outside of their properties and we will continue to do this for the duration of the scheme.

The work had originally been set to start in June but unavoidable sewer replacement by Thames Water on St Clements, which was not planned when the schedule for Access to Headington was originally being developed, mean that there has been a rethink.

School holidays

Thames Water will start their work on 10 July and the next phase of Access to Headington has moved back to 24 July. The start dates take advantage of the start of the private and state school summer holidays.

The later start means that the traffic management needed for both schemes can be coordinated to reduce inconvenience.

Minimising impact

County Councillor Yvonne Constance, Cabinet member for Environment, said: “Although our contractors were due to start in June we have decided to put the start back a few weeks.

“Our highways team constantly monitor the situation on our roads and always try to minimise the impact work has on the travelling public. In this case we have been able to be flexible with Access to Headington and both sets of work will take advantage of school holidays when the roads are quieter.”

The next phase of Access to Headington involves the introducing signals on the JR junction and the double mini roundabouts on Marsh Lane. New cycle and pedestrian infrastructure is being provided between Oxford Road and London Road on Headley Way/Cherwell Drive to improve accessibility and safety and encourage modal shift from car use to sustainable transport.

Work on the next phase of the Access to Headington transport improvement scheme will start soon.

The next phase will focus on The Slade, between Old Road and the mini roundabout at the junction of Hollow Way/Horspath Driftway. 

Contractors working for the county council will set up the site from Monday 10 April with construction work set to start on Tuesday 18 April. Setting up the compounds will be done off-peak to reduce any impact on traffic and so that noise and disruption whilst units are installed and operated can be kept to a minimum. 

This section of work will take approximately 26 weeks to complete. The team will do all they can to minimise delays but people travelling in the area are advised to plan their journeys.

Better facilities for employment, health and education

Access to Headington is a major transport improvement project which will specifically aims to improve access to major employment, health and education sites in the area.

This phase will provide off-road cycle lanes, side road entry treatments and improved crossing facilities on both sides of the road. More information on the work can be found at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/accessheadington

Access to Headington is a major transport improvement project which will specifically aims to improve access to major employment, health and education sites in the area.

First phase complete

The first phase of Access to Headington work at the junction of Old Road- Roosevelt Drive- Warneford Lane and Gipsy Lane was recently completed and the team will shortly move to The Slade, between Old Road and the mini roundabout at the junction of Hollow Way/Horspath Driftway. This section of work will take approximately 26 weeks to complete.

Off-road cycle lanes

This phase will focus on providing of off-road cycle lanes, side road entry treatments and improved crossing facilities on both sides of the road.

County Councillor David Nimmo smith, Cabinet member for transport, said: “There is a great deal of interest in the next stage of work and rightly so.

“Letters are going out to local people but anyone who has not seen one, or who has an interest in the work for any reason, is encouraged to come along to find out more and ask questions.”

Date and location

The exhibition will take place at the Bullingdon Community Centre on Thursday 23rd March between 2pm and 6pm. There will be an opportunity to speak to Oxfordshire County Council and their contractor about the project and also look at the scheme drawings in detail.

The work that was originally scheduled for Monday 13 February will now take place on Saturday 11 February.

This work will still be done overnight between the hours of 7pm and 6am when traffic is at its lightest. For diversion routes, please visit www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/accessheadington

The up to date list of work and closures is:

Monday 6 February - Old Road will be closed in both directions. The diversion will be via Windmill Road, London Road and Gipsy Lane.

Tuesday 7 February - Warneford Lane eastbound and Gipsy Lane (in both directions). The diversion will be via Morrell Avenue, Headington Road, London Road and Windmill Road.

Wednesday 8 February - Warneford Lane westbound and Roosevelt Drive (in both directions) will be closed. Access to Roosevelt Drive will be via Churchill Drive. The diversion for Warneford Lane closure will be via Windmill Road, London Road, Headington Road and Morrell Avenue.

Thursday 9 February - Old Road will be closed in both directions. The diversion will be via Windmill Road, London Road and Gipsy Lane.

Friday 10 February - Warneford Lane eastbound and Gipsy Lane (in both directions). The diversion will be via Morrell Avenue, Headington Road, London Road and Windmill Road.

Saturday 11 February (originally planned for Monday 13^th February) - Warneford Lane westbound and Roosevelt Drive (in both directions) will be closed. Access to Roosevelt Drive will be via Churchill Drive. The diversion for Warneford Lane closure will be via Windmill Road, London Road, Headington Road and Morrell Avenue.

The work we are carrying out can be noisy and we do apologise for this. We have a Section 61 agreement in place with Oxford City Council whereby we are only permitted to carry out certain work until 11pm. After 11pm we will only carry on with the less disruptive work in order to cause as little disturbance as possible.

The first section of the Access to Headington project, which has seen us working at the junction of Gipsy Lane-Old Road-Roosevelt Drive-Warneford Lane, is on schedule to complete at the end of February 2017.

Over the last few weeks we have continued with installing the new kerbs on Gipsy Lane and Old Road and we have finished installing kerbs on Roosevelt Drive and Warneford Lane. We have also started to dig out the area where we will be installing the new traffic island on Old Road ready for the new traffic signals.

Night works

On Monday 6 February, we will begin a short period of night works whereby we will be surfacing the whole of the junction in sections. This work will be done overnight between the hours of 7pm and 6am when traffic is at its lightest.

The closures will be as follows:

Monday 6 February - Old Road will be closed in both directions. The diversion will be via Windmill Road, London Road and Gipsy Lane.

Tuesday 7 February - Warneford Lane eastbound and Gipsy Lane (in both directions). The diversion will be via Morrell Avenue, Headington Road, London Road and Windmill Road.

Wednesday 8 February - Warneford Lane westbound and Roosevelt Drive (in both directions) will be closed. Access to Roosevelt Drive will be via Churchill Drive. The diversion for Warneford Lane closure will be via Windmill Road, London Road, Headington Road and Morrell Avenue.

Thursday 9 February - Old Road will be closed in both directions. The diversion will be via Windmill Road, London Road and Gipsy Lane.

Friday 10 February - Warneford Lane eastbound and Gipsy Lane (in both directions). The diversion will be via Morrell Avenue, Headington Road, London Road and Windmill Road.

Monday 13 February - Warneford Lane westbound and Roosevelt Drive (in both directions) will be closed. Access to Roosevelt Drive will be via Churchill Drive. The diversion for Warneford Lane closure will be via Windmill Road, London Road, Headington Road and Morrell Avenue.

The work we are carrying out can be noisy and we do apologise for this. We have a Section 61 agreement in place with Oxford City Council whereby we are only permitted to carry out certain work until 11pm.

After 11pm we will only carry on with the less disruptive work in order to cause as little disturbance as possible.

Day time works

On Tuesday 14 February, we will be installing cables underneath the carriageway surface across the Warneford Hospital entrance/exit just off Roosevelt Drive.

These cables will power the new traffic lights that will be installed as part of the scheme.The work will be done in two halves, meaning access will remain at all times, though will be controlled by a member of our team. The work will be done during the day, during off peak hours. We apologise for any inconvenience caused during this work.

Work continues on the first part of Access to Headington and we're currently working on the corners of Roosevelt Drive/Warneford Lane and also Gipsy Lane/Old Road.

The work we're undertaking is similar to previous phases where we're removing the existing kerbs and realigning them to create room to widen the carriageway. We are also installing new drainage and cables for the traffic signals and improving the shared cycle/footways.

Over the coming weeks we will be completing the construction of the new kerbs and reconstructing the pedestrian crossing islands on Old Road and Warneford Lane.

Surfacing work in February

In February, we will be carrying out surfacing and white lining work on the junction. This will be carried out over night when the traffic is at its lightest between the hours of 8pm and 6am and the junction will be open during the day.

The surfacing work is expected to last six nights and we will be closing various sections of the junction each night.The white lining work and the installation of the cables will follow and is expected to take approximately four nights, though we expect this to be carried out under lane closures and not full closures.

We will be providing more information on the dates in the coming weeks to ensure sufficient advanced warning.

Pipeline

We are regularly in contact with Vital Energi regarding the work they’re doing for the Heatpipe project to ensure both sets of work are coordinated in order to cause as little disruption as possible.

Work is progressing well and over the weekend we moved into the next phase of works which see’s us working on the corner of Roosevelt Drive/Warneford Lane and also Gipsy Lane/Old Road.This switch happened overnight on Saturday when traffic was at its lightest. You can see the current arrangements on the map below.

Four way lights

Although the working areas have changed location the setup of the site in terms of traffic has remained largely the same. The traffic continues to be controlled under four-way traffic lights and will be manually controlled through the hours of 7am and 7pm.

Since the project started we have removed the existing kerbs, widened the footway/cycleway, installed new drainage, diverted a gas main and constructed the new kerb layout. Over the last week we have surfaced the new footway/cycleway on the south side of Old Road and on the corner of Warneford Lane and Gipsy Lane.

More work in the New Year

We will be carrying out similar work in the next phase. Work will continue in the New Year with the construction of the new pedestrian crossing islands, and in February we plan to surface the carriageway of the junction. This surfacing will take place over night between the hours of 7pm and 6am when traffic is as its lightest. More information on dates will be given early January.

Christmas closure

The site will close on Friday 23 December 2016 and will re-open on Tuesday 3 January 2017. Traffic management will remain in place over a reduced area during the Christmas period to ensure the site remains safe for the public.

We will be carrying out regular traffic management inspections over the course of the holiday period, however if you see anything unsafe please call the non-emergency police number 101 and they will inform us immediately.

People in Headington are being called on to help solve a mystery and keep people safe.

Traffic lights, barriers and signs that are being used as part of the Access to Headington improvement work have been moved a number of times in the middle of the night, putting road users, cyclists and pedestrians at risk.

Engineers have been called out several times to find traffic lights tipped over or turned the wrong way round by the work area at the junction of Old Road-Roosevelt Drive-Gipsy Lane-Warneford Lane.

The team are now calling on anyone who has seen this happen, or who may know something about it, to report it to the police.

County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet member for transport, said: “The traffic lights, barriers and signs are there for a very good reason – to keep people safe.

“Turning the lights round is worse than them not being on at all as it potentially gives drivers the wrong information and could lead to accidents.

“The vandalism seems to be happening late at night or possibly very early in the morning, but it only takes one car for there to be an accident.

“It needs to stop now and we are calling on anyone who has seen or know anything to let the police know. In the meantime we will investigate CCTV or extra security, but neither should be needed.”

Anyone with anything to report should contact the Thames Valley Police non-emergency number on 101.

As Bonfire Night approaches, Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service is reminding people that the safest way to celebrate is to attend a large professionally organised public event such as one the following, all taking place on 5 November: 

• Bicester Round Table Firework Display and Bonfire at Pingle Field, Bicester
• Oxford Round Table's 49th Annual Charity Fireworks Display at South Park, Headington Hill, Oxford
• Standlake Cokethorpe Sea Scouts annual Firework Spectacular at Standlake Village Hall, Standlake.

Chris Barber, Station Manager at Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service said: “Organised displays are bigger, better, cheaper and far safer than holding your own fireworks party. They also benefit a lot of good local charities and causes. However, if you are planning to use fireworks or organise a bonfire at home, please follow the Fireworks Code and our bonfire safety checklist to ensure you have a safe as well as fun bonfire evening.”

Remember to follow the Fireworks Code

• Only buy fireworks marked BS 7114
• Save the alcohol until after you have set off the fireworks
• Keep fireworks in a closed box. Never put fireworks in your pocket or throw them
• Follow the instructions on each firework
• Light them at arm’s length, using a taper
• Stand well back
• Never go near a firework that has been lit. Even if it hasn’t gone off, it could still explode
• Always supervise children around fireworks
• Light sparklers one at a time and wear gloves
• Never give sparklers to a child under five.

Bonfire Safety Checklist

• Bonfire Night parties wouldn’t be the same without a bonfire but to stay safe, follow these safety tips
• Make one person responsible for the bonfire. Only allow that person and designated helpers into the bonfire area
• Keep your bonfire at least 18 metres (60ft) away from houses, trees, hedges, fences or sheds.
• Only burn clean dry timber
• Before lighting the fire check its construction carefully to make sure that it is stable and check for animals, especially hedgehogs
• Use domestic firelighters to light your bonfire
• Do not use petrol, paraffin, diesel or other flammable liquids to light your bonfire
• Keep some buckets of water nearby
• Never burn aerosols, batteries, bottles, foam-filled furniture, tins of paint or tyres.

Councillor Rodney Rose, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for Fire & Rescue, said: "If you are in any doubt about the suitability of your home for a firework display or are unsure about how to set them off safely, then I would urge you to follow the advice of Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and attend an organised public display. We’re lucky in Oxfordshire to have many great public displays taking place on our doorstep, all across the county.”

This advice is part of 365alive, Oxfordshire County Council’s Fire and Rescue Service’s vision to work every day to save and improve the lives of people across Oxfordshire. For more information, visit www.365alive.co.uk .

The Access to Headington project, which is funded by Oxfordshire’s Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP), is the latest in a planned programme of transport improvement work being done in and around Oxford. It is expected that stage one of the works will be complete by March 2017.

Nigel Tipple, Chief Executive the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, said:

“This latest investment forms part of an integrated programme of improvements, funded through Oxfordshire City Deal, which recently included the Wolvercote and Cutteslowe junction schemes.

"We recognise the pressure our infrastructure is under and we are delighted therefore to see this next phase of major road improvements get underway. The works will help to reduce congestion for local residents and commuters into the city, making it easier to travel between where they live and work.

"These works are essential to support the major employment sites to the east of the city, particularly the John Radcliffe and Old Road Campus areas, enabling the growth of quality jobs in the city.”

It will be delivered in a series of smaller packages to minimise disruption and starts now that the new traffic lights at Cutteslowe and Wolvercote have been switched on. The full programme of works is expected to be completed by September 2018.

The work in the first stage includes:

• building a new lane to exit from Roosevelt Drive
• increasing the length of the approach lane on Old Road
• upgrading the signals so that they more efficiently manage traffic and;
• making improvements to the pedestrian crossing.

Improvements for cyclists

Cycling facilities will also be upgraded to tie in with the rest of Old Road in a future stage. Advanced stop lines for cyclists on each arm of the junction will be provided along with upgraded street lighting. The work will require some removal of trees, but these will be replaced.

Part of a wider strategy

Oxfordshire County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet member for transport, said:

“This is a major investment in sustainable transport and forms part of a wider strategy to make getting in and around Oxford easier.

“We need to tackle transport issues in and around Headington now to avoid congestion holding back the planned growth or exacerbating journey times for public transport, general traffic and suppliers of goods and services.

“Access to Headington supports better access to the area including in particular to its hospitals and major employment sites. The completed project will support economic development by addressing existing traffic pinch-points and encouraging greater take-up of more sustainable and space efficient modes of travel.

“The Access to Headington project will take nearly two years to be completed, but it really should be thought of as a series of individual pieces of work which will be done over time so that disruption is minimised.

“We are well aware of the hospital’s pipeline project and all other work in the area and will coordinate these works on the local roads to keep the impact to a minimum.”

Plan journeys to avoid delays

Temporary lights will be used during the works so that disruption is minimised. However delays are to be expected, particularly at the busiest times and so people are advised to plan their journeys and consider if other forms of transport, or adjusting journey times, could be an option.

Find out more

More information on the project, including traffic management drawings and the final layout can be found on the Oxfordshire County Council website at  www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/accessheadington. You can also keep up-to-date with information by signing up to our fortnightly project news bulletin

Local residents and anyone else with an interest in the transport improvement work that will be carried out are invited to the Cheney School Community Centre on Friday 30 September between 4pm and 7.30pm and also on Saturday 1 October between 10am and 1pm.

Visitors will be able to see plans for the first stage of work which will start on the junction of Old Road, Roosevelt Drive, Gipsy Lane and Warneford Lane as well as the traffic management that will be used.

Answering questions

Staff from the council and contractors, Skanska, will also be on hand to talk visitors through the work and answer questions.

County Councillor David Nimmo Smith, Cabinet member for transport, said: “Access to Headington has understandably been the subject of a great deal of local interest.

“It is a major investment in local transport in the area and, while the work is being done, there will be disruption although we will do what we can to minimise this for people traveling in the area as well as local residents

“However we will explain clearly at the exhibitions how the disruption in the short term will be worth it for the long term improvements.

“The Headington area is going to see significant development in the future – more people and jobs means more people travelling on the roads. We have to invest now so that the transport infrastructure can cope with the demands of the future.

“There will also be concerns about how we will do our work and how it will fit in with the hospital’s heat pipeline scheme, so we will also be answering questions on that too.”

Letters to residents

Letters are being delivered to residents in the area. Anyone with or without a letter is welcome to attend at a time to suit them.

View the website

Those who can’t get along can see all the information at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/accessheadington as well as sign up for regular e-bulletins.