HAVING observed progress to date on the Woodstock and Banbury Road roundabouts, it must be clear to most people that the person responsible for organising this contract should be dismissed.

Next week, when the holiday season comes to an end, Oxford will be gridlocked, thousands of motorists will suffer unavoidable costs in time and fuel and Oxford businesses will suffer inevitably from being avoided by those who can shop elsewhere.

Some disruption is inevitable and acceptable, but to minimise the enormous cost to both residents and businesses, it must be obvious that the contract should have been let on a 24/7/365 basis with a strict timeline enforced with penalties.

Instead, it has been demonstrated over the past four weeks that the contract duration is totally absurd and that what has been so far achieved in four weeks could have almost certainly been achieved in one week.

Not enough machinery, not enough trucks, everything laid out to assist the contractor, no assistance for motorists like peak time one-way systems - in fact a total shambles that brings disgrace to the city. It is impossible to hold councils to account since the demise of the district auditor, but can somebody in authority please bring some common sense to a situation that may well bankrupt small businesses delivering services to the city from outside, and cost an inestimable amount of money to transport companies and private motorists.

Not forgetting the pollution levels for the residents of North Oxford, which may well exceed the EU permitted air pollution directive as a result of gridlocked vehicles.

There are hundreds of diesel trucks, vans and cars on the A40 and diesel vehicles emit 10 times the fine particles and up to twice the nitrogen dioxide of petrol vehicles.

What protection can North Oxford residents expect as pollution levels will almost certainly rise above safe limits?

And if anybody in authority has the courage to respond – please don’t play the contract cost card!

It doesn’t take an expert to realise that the collateral damage of this work will make the cost of 24/7 working look like small beer.

SIMON HENSON
Delly End Farm, Hailey, Witney