Residents, businesses and visitors to Banbury are being invited to share their views on improvements to bus journey time and reliability proposed for the Cherwell Street area of the town.
Oxfordshire County Council has been awarded government funding to redesign Cherwell Street and the area between the George Street and Bridge Street junctions.
The Council is consulting on proposed changes which include bus priority measures, changing traffic lane allocations, and improving traffic signals and pedestrian crossings.
Councillor Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Infrastructure and Development Strategy, said: “The Cherwell Street area of Banbury is very congested, especially at peak times. As a result, bus journeys are often delayed. We are proposing a set of improvements to make bus journeys into and out of central Banbury more reliable and so more attractive.
“Pedestrians and cyclists are also put at risk by sub-standard crossings and the number of vehicles travelling through this area. The proposed changes aim to improve safety for those who walk, cycle or wheel through central Banbury.
“This consultation is an opportunity for those who travel through this area to feedback on the improvements and help us to decide on their final design.”
In addition to the benefits to bus services, the proposed improvements also aim to enhance safety for people walking, cycling, and wheeling to bus stops, the town centre, and Banbury Rail Station.
The council ran a consultation in spring 2024 to collect feedback on an early design that was put together with input from county, district and town councillors and Stagecoach Bus. Responses to that consultation have helped shape the proposals that are now being presented.
Feedback from this second consultation will be considered alongside traffic modelling data and county council policies and priorities when deciding on the final design ready for construction.
The Cherwell Street proposals complement work being done to improve access to Banbury Rail Station and are also part of long-term plans to improve sustainable transport options in the town.
(Picture – Oxfordshire CC)
