Delay to new park lights for Marston have neighbours fuming

Just when it was thought a long-running battle for lights in the Croft Road recreation ground had been won, Oxfordshire County Council said the work will now not take place until next year.

In March the county council’s transport chief Rodney Rose approved plans for the lights to be installed as part of a scheme to invest £180,000 in the area.

Work was due to be carried out this summer but it has now been postponed to the spring.

Marston city councillor Mick Haines spent five years campaigning for the lights.

He said: “It is absolutely terrible for the children because it will be another winter without lights for them.

“We were supposed to have the lights this year and I am shocked that we will have to wait longer.

“I have been fighting for those lights for so long.”

Mr Haines gathered 1,205 signatures on a petition to convince the council to go ahead with the scheme and even took it to Downing Street as part of his campaign.

As well as installing lighting columns in the Croft Road recreation ground, the county council will be carrying out work on the cycle path linking Marston and the city centre.

This will involve widening and resurfacing the path as well as putting in two replacement bridges.

Mr Haines was told earlier this month that the work would be put on hold because of a few final issues which needed to be resolved.

County council officer Victoria Butterworth told him the scheme was being held up by the purchase of a piece of land along the route which is needed to fit a wider bridge along the path.

Negotiations with Oxford City Council were also ongoing about the maintenance and running costs of the lighting and which council would cover them.

County council spokesman Martin Crabtree said: “We understand that any delay will be disappointing, but we will continue to work with the city council to complete the scheme.

“It is now likely that the work will start next year.”