Almost £600,000 will be spent on active travel measures across the county after Conservative-led Oxfordshire County Council committed to match funding a £298,500 grant from the Department for Transport. The money will support interim plans to improve cycling and walking provision - including new cycle parking and the creation of pedestrian-only routes – and will be followed by a second tranche of funding for longer-term projects.
First phase measures to be funded in North Oxfordshire include:
- New cycle parking provision in Banbury and Bicester town centres.
- Improvements to cycle lane markings in the Easington area of Banbury plus the Middleton Road and Warwick Road, and on Middleton Stoney Road, Bucknell Road, Shakespeare Drive and Sheep Street in Bicester.
- Temporary traffic restrictions to prioritise pedestrians and cyclists on the Causeway, Fringford Road, Middleton Stoney Road, and Launton Road in Bicester.
- Additional cycle parking at Bicester Park and Ride.
- Increased grass cutting and vegetation clearance on key cycle routes.
The County Council is now shifting its attention to working with Council partners and local interest groups on an ambitious set of permanent sustainable travel proposals. Oxfordshire’s indicative allocation for phase two of the DFT’s Active Travel Fund is £2.38 million. This investment would mark a significant step-change in increasing and upgrading local active transport options whilst helping residents to adopt healthier – and greener – travel habits.
