Oxfordshire: Major bypass set to improve traffic for Didcot and villages

Oxfordshire County Council has appointed GRAHAM deliver the £38m Clifton Hampden Bypass section of the major infrastructure (HIF1) scheme. The appointment is the second of three contracts to be awarded to construct the scheme, which will help to reduce congestion, says the Oxford Mail. A major scheme to improve travel through Didcot and the surrounding villages […]
Oxford congestion charge investment plan to be amendment

Proposals for a £4.2m temporary congestion charge investment plan will be discussed again by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet in May, with some proposals presented in more detail. The council’s cabinet has asked for some amendments and more information before making a decision about investment. The amended proposals include an amended offer for park and ride in Oxford, […]
Oxfordshire defends High Court challenge to road charging scheme

A campaign group that opposes traffic reduction measures in Oxford has failed in a bid to judicially review Oxfordshire County Council’s decision to install charging points for the use of certain roads. Mr Justice Fordham found in the High Court that Open Roads for Oxford (ORO) had no realistic prospect of success on any ground it put […]
Oxfordshire’s roads to be protected from potholes in £8m surface treatment programme

Following an unprecedented winter which saw a spike in the number of pothole reports nationally and locally, more than a million square metres of carriageway in Oxfordshire is set to be treated to reduce the risk of future road defects occurring. Eighty-seven roads will be improved as part of an £8 million Oxfordshire County Council […]
Research suggests electric buses are reducing air and noise pollution in Oxford

The introduction of 159 electric buses to serve the Oxford area has led to significant reductions in air and noise pollution. In 2023, a deal worth £82.5 million was agreed between Oxfordshire County Council, the government, Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach to fund the fleet of new battery electric vehicles. Provisional data suggests that bus […]
New Oxfordshire lane rental scheme comes into force in May

The length of time spent on roadworks is to be targeted when Oxfordshire becomes the latest local authority to introduce a lane rental scheme (LRS). Oxfordshire County Council applied for the scheme in 2023 and the LRS was approved by the government last November, allowing the authority to charge up to £2,500 per day for […]
Oxfordshire invests £5.5m in cleaner and better buses after new vehicle improvement grants

Grants of £1.405 million have been awarded to bus companies and community transport groups to support upgrades to their vehicles for the benefit of passengers and the environment. Oxfordshire County Council has approved seven vehicle improvement grant applications that will collectively help fund 13 new electric buses, convert two existing minibuses from diesel to electric […]
County council meets with Oxford MPs to discuss ageing Kennington rail bridge

Representatives from Oxfordshire County council have met with two Oxford MPs to discuss the ageing A423 Kennington rail bridge and its strategic importance to the city. Councillor Judy Roberts, council officers and the Environment Agency met with Layla Moran MP and Anneliese Dodds MP to discuss the condition of the bearings, concrete and temporary propping […]
Oxford Congestion Charge judicial review turned down

A judicial review against Oxford’s congestion charge has been turned down by the High Court. Open Roads for Oxford has been campaigning against the scheme by Oxfordshire County Council in November, in which drivers going through one of six points in the city centre have to pay a £5 fee, says the BBC. But campaigners said the […]
Botley Road: Former councillor outlines what went wrong with Network Rail project

Network Rail failed to plan properly for the revamp of Oxford station which led to the long-term closure of Botley Road, according to a former county councillor. The multi-million pound revamp of the rail station led to the closure of the busy route at the rail bridge early in 2023, and it is due to […]