MAJOR improvements to the Kennington and A34 Hinksey Hill interchanges are set to go ahead to tackle congestion on Oxford ring road.
The schemes were key elements in the £62m Access to Oxford project — Oxfordshire County Council’s plans to transform the county’s transport network — which was shelved because of national funding cuts.
But County Hall says it is ready to invest £2.75m of its own money in ring road improvements.
Sainsbury is already committed to funding a new ‘hamburger’ junction near its Heyford Hill store.
County council spokesman Paul Smith said money for the two busy roundabouts is expected to come from £6m set aside to develop the business case for Access to Oxford.
The news comes as there were renewed hopes that the planned expansion of Oxford’s railway station could also go ahead.
The station scheme — also part of Access to Oxford — looked like also being a victim of the cuts But during a visit to Oxford last week, Transport Minister Norman Baker hinted that the station revamp might qualify for funding from a new £560m pot of money for smaller transport schemes.
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