RESIDENTS are furious that Oxfordshire County Council spent thousands of pounds on a traffic study in Abingdon which they claim no-one wanted.

The county council commissioned a £15,000 report looking at whether to make the St Helen’s Wharf Bridge a two-way route.

But the study, which was criticised by residents and town councillors when it was launched, concluded it was best to leave the bridge as a one-way street.

Frances Scaddan, who lives in nearby Fellows Close and is a member of East St Helens Street Residents’ Association, said the idea was ridiculous and the money should never have been spent.

However, the council defended the study, saying it had to consider every option to tackle traffic problems.

Mrs Scaddan, 65, said: “This was an absolute waste of money and it has caused considerable anxiety to those who live here.

“If we had two-way traffic, it would change our lives completely.

“We would have to have traffic lights and it would be dangerous for people pushing buggies or walking by.

“Everyone thought this was ridiculous, it was only suggested by one person, but the county said that as it was suggested, it had to be looked into.

“The money could have been spent on a lot more useful things.”

The county council had considered the plan to see whether it could help cut congestion and ease nitrogen dioxide pollution problems caused by queuing traffic in the town centre.

At present, traffic travels west from Caldecott Road over the bridge into St Helen’s Wharf, up West St Helen Street and into the High Street.

Town councillor Julie Mayhew-Archer said it already had £30,000 to spend on roads in the town, which had been allocated by the county council. She said: “Another £15,000 would have been a 50 per cent increase and very welcome. We were surprised the county council commissioned this report, because to our knowledge no-one wanted a two-way road.”

Fellow town councillor Martin Smith, of Bath Street, added: “It was a ridiculous idea. Two-way traffic over the bridge would be impossible. It should never have been considered.”

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: “We make no apology for leaving no stone unturned in looking for options to improve traffic flow in Abingdon.”

No-one was available at the council to comment on how the report had been compiled, why it has cost so much, and whether the work had been carried out by its own staff or external consultants.