OXFORDSHIRE County Council has responded to criticism over its failure to hold consultation events in villages closest to planned new roads.

The authority said it was ‘not possible’ to hold events in Culham and Clifton Hampden but encouraged concerned residents to give their feedback online or travel to Didcot to have their say.

Chris Neill, The chairman of Clifton Hampden Parish Council, said residents were ‘extremely unhappy’ that both consultation events are taking place in Didcot, despite the disruption the planned bypass could cause in the village.

He also said an event should have been held in Culham, the starting point of the proposed new Thames crossing.

But Martin Crabtree, spokesman for the county council, said it was felt the level of consultation was sufficient, particularly as people had had a chance to have their say before.

He 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.”