Work on a new underground cable that will deliver electricity to the UK’s largest public electric vehicle charging hub at an Oxford park & ride site, will start next week, causing disruption to traffic.

The instalment of the four mile cable will start on Monday as part of Energy Superhub Oxford, a government-backed project showcasing rapid EV charging, battery storage, low carbon heating and smart energy management technology to cut carbon and improve air quality across Oxford.

The cable will connect the National Grid’s Cowley substation to Redbridge Park & Ride, off Abingdon Road, creating the power infrastructure needed to charge lots of electric vehicles quickly at once.

The hub – which is expected to open in early 2022 - will provide Oxford residents and businesses with easy access to fast, reliable charging. A connection point will also be installed at Oxford Bus Company’s Watlington Road depot, ready to support electrification of the city’s bus fleet.

From the Cowley substation, the cable will travel up the B480 Watlington Road before joining the Eastern By-Pass where it will travel along the cycleway from Garsington Road roundabout to Long Lane. It will then travel along the residential streets of Long Lane and Newman Road before re-joining the cycleway at the A4158. It will continue along the Eastern bypass via the cycleway to Redbridge Park and Ride.

Sales of electric vehicles in Oxfordshire are already higher than the national average, and analysis carried out on behalf of Oxford City Council shows that to reach net zero by 2040, 25 per cent of cars in Oxford need to be electric by 2025, 80 per cent by 2030, and 100 per cent by 2035.

Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford at Oxford City Council said: “I am delighted that we are about to start work to install the cable works for Energy Superhub Oxford. This cable work will help to deliver power to the UK’s largest electric vehicle superhub which we will be installing at Redbridge Park & Ride. This is a key milestone in this project, and the future of Oxford’s journey to becoming a net zero city.”

The works will take place in phases:

From the Cowley substation to Watlington Road (B480) with work starting on Monday for four months. Temporary traffic lights will be in place along Watlington Road.

On the Eastern bypass (A4142) to Heyford Hill roundabout, work will start August 16 for four months. Temporary traffic lights will be in place for Long Lane to Oxford Road section.

On the Eastern bypass (A423) to Redbridge Park & Ride (A4144) work will start on August 9 for five months. Eastern by-pass works will make use of cycleway which will remain open to cyclists.

The installation work is expected to take place from 7am-7pm from Monday to Sunday. However, some work may need to be carried out at night.