ROAD bosses are to review whether a slip road should stay closed alongisde Oxford’s ring road by BMW Mini.

Oxfordshire County Council shut the lane by the A4142 from Horspath Road to Watlington Road at Oxford Retail Park in October.

It followed safety concerns from plant bosses about use of the road.

Horspath resident Colin Mutton used the slip-road from Horsparth Road to the roundabout at Watlington Road, to go into Cowley.

Mr Mutton, who runs the Swan Motor Centre in Betweens Town Road, said: “It is good for people who don’t want to have to tackle the dual carriageway.

“You can just go down it and get to the shops – Tesco and Marks and Spencer – and into Cowley very quickly.

“I am sure many other people use it.

“I have heard that it was closed because people are driving down it too fast, but if that is the case, something like speed humps could be put in place to help slow cars down.

I’ve been trying to find out what is going on, but don’t seem to be getting anywhere with either the county council or Mini. If it is because of safety, then in my opinion it may be making things more unsafe as more people will be going on to the bypass.”

Council spokesman Marcus Mabberley said: “In order to address safety concerns the county council in October, working with BMW, closed a service road which is adjacent to the A4142 and directed normal traffic to use the A4142 rather than the service road.

He said: “Many people using the slip road prior to closure were using it to undertake traffic on the main carriageway.

“This caused safety concerns around the slip road's junction with other roads.”

“The results in terms of access to BMW and any effect on the overall highway network will be assessed in due course.”

Mini spokeswoman Rebecca Baxter said: “The barriers were put in place some months ago as a trial which came about following safety concerns arising from the incorrect use of the filter lane to access Plant Oxford.”