Today (Monday 21st October) the council has announced it has negotiated with Homes England and the Department for Transport in a £126 million funding package to deliver the A40 Eynsham P&R to Wolvercote scheme.
The original Housing Infrastructure Fund proposal included upgrades to Witney to Eynsham in the form of a dual carriageway from where the road currently returns to single carriageway in Witney all the way to the new Eynsham P&R site. Very sadly the news today shows that this major part of the scheme has now been scrapped by the Lib Dem-led county council following a review into the scheme.
The improvements to the A40 between Witney and Eynsham that would have also delivered much needed safety upgrades to the Barnard Gate junction that many will know is something myself and Lysette Nicholls from South Leigh Parish Council continue to campaign to improve.
The new scheme, as expected under this anti-motorist coalition, focuses only on improving bus travel and walking and cycling infrastructure. Whilst this is important it fails to improve the route for those who use the A40 in a vehicle and whilst the P&R option is available for those who want to travel into Oxford this won't benefit those travelling by car towards the A34 or M40.
Whilst I am disappointed that upgrades have been scaled back I welcome the opportunity to finally see some sort of improvement to the A40 with any upgrades being spoken about for many years now. With the new Oxford Tube to London now operating and improved bus routes from West Oxfordshire continuing, having the access to the P&R site in place and bus lanes to speed up journey times for public transport users, this is all to be welcomed that progress is finally being made on this notoriously busy road through the district.
The new scheme will now include:
- Constructing a new junction onto the A40 to bring the Eynsham park and ride into use.
- A bus lane eastbound between the new Eynsham park and ride and Cassington Junction, a bus lane eastbound between Wolvercote Bridge and Oxford North Junction and a westbound bus lane between Cassington Junction and the Eynsham park and ride, focused on the parts of the route where buses are most delayed.
- A continuous, upgraded walking and cycling path between Eynsham park and ride and Cassington Junction on the south side of the A40. An upgraded walking and cycling path on the north side of the A40 between Eynsham park and ride and Lower Road Roundabout.
- Localised upgrades of the walking and cycling path on the south side of the A40 between Cassington Junction and Wolvercote.
- New signal-controlled crossings at points along the A40 corridor to make walking and cycling safer and more enjoyable.
Oxfordshire County Council must now apply for planning permission and there will be a number of engagement events for residents to review the plans in more detail from November 2024.
Subject to planning permission being granted the county council hopes that construction could start in early 2026 and last for two years.
