A £2million plan to spruce up Witney High Street with more greenery and places to sit and resurfaced pavements has got the overwhelming support of the public.

The Witney High Street and Market Square enhancement community engagement report showed overall, the scheme was supported by roughly 66 per cent of survey respondents.

Improved footways, more trees and plants and more seating plus enhanced information on history and heritage were the most popular improvements that people would like to see.

A ban on private vehicles in the high street and Market Square was implemented as a trial in summer 2020 and made permanent in December 2021.

Last April Oxfordshire County Council was awarded £1.98million from the Government’s Active Travel Fund for street improvements.

The funding was granted on the understanding that the current traffic restrictions are in place.

Public engagement exercises were held between 5 September and 3 October to seek feedback on what improvements the public would like to see.

The majority of respondents strongly supported the objective to support local businesses and the market.

The report said "the project is limited to delivering highway improvements only, but this should be coordinated with the planning and licensing authorities in West Oxfordshire District Council and Witney Town Council.

"The project can help to facilitate new business and event activities by providing space and public realm upgrades where identified."

A majority of respondents opposed the plans to ban private cars from  the High Street in 2020 and 36 out of 37 local traders objected.

There was low participation from local businesses in both the latest online survey and workshops despite targeted communication.

The county council said officers will continue to reach out to local businesses through a variety of media including emails, letters, and walkabouts.

It is also considering more door-to-door engagement and intercept surveys to improve participation for future engagements.

The report said it was "encouraging" that responses from those with long term health or disabilities were similar to overall survey responses.

However, the survey also underlined that blue badge parking is still an important facility.

Any reallocation of parking to enable better loading provisions for businesses must be based on robust survey data on occupancy levels and user demand, the report said.

Other comments supported reopening the High Street to through traffic but there were similar levels of support for full pedestrianisation.

There was a call for better enforcement of the traffic restriction in the free text comments and by key stakeholders.

A total of 643 people completed the online survey and 23 paper surveys were returned. Almost all respondents lived in the town or a neighbouring village.

The proportion of respondents in the over 65 age group was significantly high.

The survey also showed that most survey respondents travel to Witney High Street by car, as a driver – 48.8 per cent while 38 per cent walk.

The report said the results show that the number of short car trips to the project area is high, adding "to make a significant contribution to net zero targets, councils must improve walking and cycling routes across the town but must also work together to enact carbon reduction polices that encourage a significant modal shift away from the private car". 

The county council is now recruiting a consultant to develop a draft design that is based on people’s feedback and fits the budget.

There will be another consultation in Spring 2024 to help finalise the design with a view to construction beginning in the autumn.

Cllr Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for transport management, said: “Local people have been fantastic in sharing valuable and constructive insights with us to help form designs to enhance Witney High Street and Market Square.

"The enhancements will prioritise a key space for people to enjoy shopping and socialising, making it better to walk, wheel or cycle around – and support the town’s great local businesses.

"We are very much looking forward to seeing the shape it takes in the draft plans and sharing them next year.”