IT’S taken 16 years but light is finally shining on Oxford’s “strangest street”.

Around £85,000 of street lights have been installed in Roger Dudman Way in West Oxford after residents spent years campaigning for them.

City councillor Susanna Pressel, who represents Jericho and Osney, described her battle for them as “tortuous”.

She said: “The road serves a large nursery school and about 300 flats, with another 200 going up now.

“At least the parents coming and going to the nursery in the winter and the local residents will now feel safer when using the road.

“I am delighted and the residents will be as well.”

Roger Dudman Way, named after a former Lord Mayor of Oxford, is owned by four different organisations.

Parts of the street are owned by Oxf-ordshire County Council, First Great Western, Network Rail and Oxford University and this led to Ms Pressel dubbing it “Oxford’s strangest street”.

The road leads behind Oxford Station from Botley Road to blocks of flats in Venneit Close and Oxford University student accommodation.

A total of 15 lights have been installed along the section owned by Network Rail which runs along the north end of platform two.

Victoria Shotts is deputy manager of Buffer Bear nursery which is on Roger Dudman Way and has 62 places.

She said: “The road was very dark, especially in the winter.

“It could be dangerous for our parents to walk or cycle down there with their push chairs because there are cars going up and down it.”

Claire Ryu, 36, who lives in Castle Mill said: “I think it’s a great thing that the lights have been put in.

“This road has always been really dark and I tended to avoid it at night.”

The lights were turned on for the first time last Wednesday.

They are linked to a single photocell on the station building, coming on as soon as it gets dark. They even come on if it gets overcast during the day.

Funding came from planning contributions made by housing developers.