An Oxford councillor is furious with upcoming changes to a busy junction in the city.

Emily Kerr represents the St Mary's ward for the Green Party and is an avid cyclist using a bike as her primary mode of travel.

Alterations will be made to the junction at Church Cowley Road and Rose Hill by Oxfordshire County Council.

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This work will begin on Wednesday, April 10, but a slip road which runs alongside the main road is the source of the problems according to Ms Kerr.

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“The key issue is the slip road as drivers use it to avoid the traffic lights,” she said.

“As they do that, they are causing far more danger as they re-join the main road further down.

“Because this is the junction of two main roads, it is extra dangerous as cyclists and pedestrians are coming down here and looking behind them to see what’s happening on one road.

Oxford Mail: Oxfordshire County Council's upcoming changes to the junction.Oxfordshire County Council's upcoming changes to the junction. (Image: Oxfordshire County Council)

“Then if car drivers do not give way as they are supposed to, the cyclists and pedestrians just get hit so that lack of visibility is causing issues.”

The county council created the cycle lane two years ago and the 45-year-old believes that the new changes are ultimately a regression.

“It feels like a step backwards because the county’s policies are to encourage cycling and walking so to come back here and remove the cycle lane will make cars drive faster,” said Ms Kerr.

“Removing cycling space is just going to make things less safe and this is one of the least safe junctions in Oxford with a school nearby too.

Oxford Mail: Cllr Emily Kerr is an avid cyclist and worries about the safety of bicycle users in the area.Cllr Emily Kerr is an avid cyclist and worries about the safety of bicycle users in the area. (Image: Newsquest)

“There are no pedestrian phases as you can’t press a button and cross so it is only really suitable for adults who are agile but it is not suitable for older people or children.

 “The problem with junctions like this isn’t just the people who are hit but it’s the people who don’t dare use them such as old people and kids who won’t come here because it’s not safe.

“I struggle to bring my children here walking and I will do it on my own as an adult but not with my kids.”

Oxford Mail: The slip road which runs alongside Rose Hill.The slip road which runs alongside Rose Hill. (Image: Newsquest)

The council maintain that the changes will make the area safer and minimise crashes.

Bill Cotton, Oxfordshire County Council’s director for environment and place, said: “We are very concerned that there have been several serious road traffic collisions in this area.

“The works are an important safety action to protect road users and residents in Rose Hill.

“The works are intended to improve the visibility of vulnerable road users, reduce incidents in this location, and address concerns that vehicles are using the adjacent Rose Hill slip road to bypass the junction.”