Significant progress has been made towards enabling more reliable journeys, faster bus travel, improved walking and cycling provision along a stretch of the A40, as well as bringing the Eynsham park and ride site into use.

Planning consent was granted on Tuesday for Oxfordshire County Council’s latest upgrade to the A40 between Eynsham park and ride and Wolvercote (artist’s impression, pictured). It features bus priority lanes, new and upgraded junctions, new crossings and upgraded active travel pathways. The project construction contract is set to be awarded to Balfour Beatty, subject to final agreement on cost, programme and contract terms. 

Councillor Liz Leffman, Cabinet Member for Highways Construction and Repair, said:

“We are happy to progress this important project. Securing planning consent now means we can start delivering improvements that will make journeys along the A40 more reliable and give people better choices for how they travel. When completed, the project will support new jobs and and housing in the surrounding area.” 

The next steps for the project include preparatory works, namely planning condition discharge, site clearance and site compound preparation with construction expected to start later this year. 

The project will be delivered in phases and the first phase, which is fully funded through £126 million of government investment, focuses on providing the new junction to connect the Eynsham park and ride to the A40, alongside bus priority measures and high-quality walking and cycling routes, enabling the Eynsham park and ride to open for use. 

The scheme has been carefully designed to minimise impacts on the surrounding landscape and ecology. 

Councillor Leffman added,

“Feedback from public and stakeholder engagement over the past five years has helped shape the final design, particularly the bus priority and active travel improvements. We are grateful for all the input received and for everyone’s patience throughout the process.”

(Picture: Oxfordshire County Council)