Does anyone know why Oxfordshire County Council is spending vast amounts of money to “improve” the Ducklington Lane/Station Lane junction in Witney?

The works involve the construction of several new traffic islands, most of which look as though they will restrict traffic flow rather than enhance it. The addition of extra lanes on some of the roads may help but the markings on those lanes look like they will lead to instances of two lanes of traffic trying to get into one after crossing the junction.

In my opinion, and that of others I have spoken to, all that was necessary to improve the junction was to alter the lights to provide filters on all four roads and to alter the sequencing of the lights to allow safe flow of traffic from each road in turn. Left turn filters could have allowed easy flows from each road and right turn filters could allow safe right turns from opposing roads at the same time. This is not impossible, the lights at the Jubilee Way junction are working in this way already. The cost of alterations of this type could surely have been met by the £50,000 the council received from Lidl as a Section 106 payment for “improvement of the Ducklington Road junction”. Instead they are spending, reportedly, around £2 million on this scheme.

This money could have been put towards the Shores Green slip roads scheme, which the council seem loath to start.

Perhaps its statement at the public inquiry (para 7.51, page 76, CLR report) about making an early start on work on that scheme was just so many empty words?

This scheme is supposed to be improving traffic flows and safety, so is the council going to keep track of how many vehicles are using the junction and the time taken for vehicles to transit the junction?

Also, is it going to keep a check on how many accidents there are? The junction has been in existence since 1977 and I don’t remember how many fatal accidents there have been but, sadly, there has already been one in the re-modelled junction before it has even been completed.

Oxfordshire County Council should be asked the question about its priorities with regard to Witney’s traffic problems and why it has not invested money in this area.

Geoffrey Webb

The Springs

Witney

Today’s letters

 

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