THOSE living closest to sites where new roads are planned have attacked the county council for a 'lack of consultation'.

Clifton Hampden’s parish council chairman Chris Neill said they were 'extremely unhappy' that no events will be held in the village, despite plans to build a new bypass nearby.

The county council is currently midway through its three week consultation on new roads for Didcot and will host its second and final event in the Cornerstone Arts Centre this Saturday with people able to give feedback online until November 25.

But Mr Neill was surprised there were no specific events organised in his village or in neighbouring Culham - the starting point for the proposed new Thames bridge.

He said: “We are extremely unhappy with the county over its total lack of consultation with us and Culham. Two consultations in Didcot but not a single one in Clifton Hampden."

UPDATE - Council hits back at 'snub claims' 

Mr Neill said he was concerned the bypass would have 'major implications' for the village, especially if existing infrastructure, such as the Golden Balls roundabout, is not upgraded in tandem to cope with the extra vehicles.

He also predicted the Thames crossing would need two new roundabouts installed in order to connect with other roads.

South Oxfordshire district councillor Sue Lawson said: “The county needs to improve its consultation over the river crossing and Clifton by-pass proposals and should hold public meetings locally.”

Martin Crabtree, spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council, said: “The consultation events are open to all, as is the online consultation, and we are providing a printed versions of the exhibition materials to Clifton Hampden parish council so that they can be seen locally. While we appreciate that the proposals are of interest to people across quite a wide area it is not possible to hold multiple local events.

“The proposed measures are not new and have actually been in existence since before 2015, and are contained within the Local Transport Plan 4 and were previously identified in The Vale of White Local Plan Part 1 which was consulted upon at a number of different stages and examined in public.”