Didcot and surrounding area infrastructure improvements

Reducing congestion and improving journey times, pedestrian and cycling connectivity and supporting new employment sites and housing.

About the improvements

The scheme includes four elements to support Didcot as a vibrant garden town. The elements include improvements to existing roads and the construction of new roads, new walking and cycle routes, and will help to facilitate new and enhanced bus services.

These elements will:

  • improve pedestrian and cycle connectivity for work and leisure trips with 19km of walking and cycling paths
  • provide more sustainable travel options in and around Didcot, including on public transport
  • reduce congestion and improve air quality in surrounding villages and parishes
  • enable more jobs in the local area in new and existing employment sites
  • support expected housing growth.in the local area

Compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) and side road orders (SROs)

The orders relating to Didcot and surrounding area infrastructure improvements are available to view.

Scheme benefits

Your questions answered

Frequently asked questions.

Take a look at a flyover of the scheme

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What is happening when?

Public consultation was undertaken for each of the elements, helping to inform the designs. These were held in November 2018 and March 2020, and several changes were made to the scheme following feedback from the public. The preferred scheme was endorsed by Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet in July 2020. Land negotiations are ongoing.

Oxfordshire County Council submitted a planning application to the Local Planning Authority in November 2021.

Following the resolution of the County Council’s planning and regulation committee in July, the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) called in the application. This means a government-appointed planning inspector will consider the scheme at an inquiry, and the Secretary of State will make the decision about whether to approve the planning application.  

A conjoined planning and CPO inquiry will take place locally, beginning in February 2024 and running through March, April and potentially into May 2024.

The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities will determine the planning element; the Secretary of State for Transport will determine the CPO element.

After the inquiry, the government-appointed inspector will draft a report and present it to both Secretaries of State, who will make the final decisions. This may take several months.

All public documents relating to the inquiry can be viewed on the official inquiry portal, by visiting local libraries (Didcot, Abingdon and Berinsfield) or County Hall.

How it is being funded

In March 2019, Homes England awarded £218m for the scheme, with a further £16m secured against Section 106 developer contributions. In early 2022, additional funding for the scheme was secured from Homes England (£21.8m), the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (£10m capital investment generated from Enterprise Zones business rates retention) and £30m underwritten from the council capital budget.

Contact us

If you have any queries about the planning application please contact the Local Planning Authority, planning@oxfordshire.gov.uk

If your query does not relate to the planning application please contact the delivery team.

Find out more about each element

  • Element 1: Widening of the A4130

    A4130 widening icon

    The creation of a dual carriageway east of Milton Interchange with 1.6km of high quality and segregated walking and cycling facilities, linking to the future development at Valley Park and Didcot Science Bridge. Learn more about widening the A4130.

  • Element 2: Didcot Science Bridge

    Science bridge icon

    A new single-carriageway road bridge over the A4130, Great Western Main Line, and Milton Road, connecting to a new link road through the former Didcot A Power Station. The element connects with the Northern Perimeter north of Purchas Road roundabout. High-quality and segregated cycling and pedestrian facilities will be provided along the length of the scheme. Learn more about the Didcot Science Bridge.

     

  • Element 3: Didcot to Culham river crossing

    River crossing icon

    A new single carriageway link road between the A4130 at Didcot and the A415 at Culham, with high quality and segregated walking and cycling facilities. It will include a new bridge over the Appleford Railway sidings and a new bridge over the River Thames. Learn more about the Didcot to Culham river crossing.

  • Element 4: Clifton Hampden bypass

    Clifton Hampden Bypass icon

    A new single-carriageway link road between the A415 at Culham and the B4015 to the north of Clifton Hampden, with shared-use walking and cycling facilities. Learn more about the Clifton Hampden bypass.