MULTIPLE concerns have been expressed about plans to improve the A34 Lodge Hill Interchange in Abingdon.

Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, have submitted plans for an improvement scheme in the area including south-facing slips from the A4183 Oxford Road to the A34.

Other plans include a new grade separated dumbbell junction, an off-slip to allow northbound traffic to exit the A34 and an on-slip to allow southbound traffic to enter the A34, sustainable drainage measures, revised access, balancing ponds, lighting columns, planting/landscaping, provision of shared footway and cycleway, vehicle restraint system, bus layby extension, fencing, signalised and unsignalised crossing for active travel users and associated infrastructure works.

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After a period of public consultation, there was 15 comments of support and 23 comments objecting with the most popular comment was people having concerns about the impact of traffic on Sugworth Lane and Bagley Wood Road.

In the reasons for support, the public said the scheme is ‘really needed’ as it will support the additional housing in the town.

One comment said the scheme will ‘improve access to and from the A34 without going through Abingdon town’ and added that the junction is ‘well overdue’.

The majority of the comments for the project were about the currently traffic A34 southbound being ‘horrendous’ and wanting the junction to help ‘alleviate some of the traffic issues’ by ‘diverting traffic form the northern Abingdon ring road’.

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Another residents said that the alleviation of traffic would create ‘economic benefits’ for the town as they suggested people currently avoid the shops in Abingdon due to the ‘bad traffic’.

Reasons for objecting the scheme also revolves around issues with traffic and residents being concerned there will be increased congestion on Sugworth Lane, Bagley Wood Road and St Swithuns Road.

Others have added that the scheme will be add more traffic onto the A34 which ‘already struggles at peak times’ as well as added traffic on Oxford Road.

There are also concerns about how the new junction would impact pedestrians and cyclists with one residents suggesting the scheme has ‘no consideration for cyclists’ and described the scheme as being ‘unsafe’.

Residents have suggested that a toucan crossing also needs to be proposed as well as general safety for cyclists.

Additional concerns were also expressed about the environmental impact of the scheme. One resident said: “More noise and emissions will result in more traffic diverting onto unsuitable roads particularly in times of disruption/congestion on the A34.”

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Other general concerns suggested that more local authorities should be consulted before the scheme goes ahead such as Kennington Parish Council and Wootton Parish Council.

The council will now take into account this comments for the next stage of planning.

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This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Abingdon, Didcot, Wallingford and Wantage.

Get in touch with her by emailing: gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @geeharland