Didcot Central Corridor

About the improvements

The Didcot Central Corridor project seeks to improve travel and public space along three important routes, known as 'Gateway Spine’, ‘Cultural Spine’, ‘Foxhall Road' and the town centre.

The project is part of the Didcot Garden Town Delivery Plan 2017  and aims to improve the lives of residents and visitors by focusing on increasing opportunities for walking, wheeling and cycling, improving public space , enabling healthy lifestyles and helping to tackle climate change.

The scheme will offer the following benefits:

• Make routes to and within Didcot attractive places in their own right
• Make it easier and more enjoyable to walk, wheel and cycle around the town
• Encourage people to use public transport
• Improve the safety of roads for all users
• Support housing and employment growth.

What you can expect

A Placemaking Strategy for Didcot Central Corridor has been completed (see Let’s Talk Oxfordshire).

The current stage of the scheme is ‘optioneering’ which involves the identification of the key issues and assessment of a range of different options to address them. 

Measures being investigated include, but are not limited to, public open space improvements and improved infrastructure for people who walk, cycle or use public transport.

The project is focused on five geographical areas within the three routes:

1. A4130 and B4493 – Science Bridge to Didcot Station
2. Didcot Road, Wantage Road and Foxhall Roundabout
3. Broadway
4. Town and station connections
5. Cow Lane, Jubilee Way Roundabout and Hadden Hill

Why we are investing here?

Didcot was awarded Garden Town status in 2015 by the national government. Significant growth expected in Didcot will mean that without intervention, the local road network will experience considerable traffic congestion.

The Didcot Garden Town Development Plan (2017) sets out a comprehensive set of ideas and proposals to improve the way Didcot functions as a growing town within Science Vale.  One of these proposals was the Didcot Central Corridor project. 

Didcot Central Corridor is part of an overall transport strategy for the town, alongside a number of other schemes including Didcot area improvements (HIF1), the Didcot Northern Perimeter Road 3, the Didcot Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) and the Science Vale Movement and Place Plan (MAPP).

The timing of the design and construction of schemes that come out of the placemaking strategy and the optioneering process will depend on what the preferred solution is, funding availability and whether planning permission and land are required.

Minimising the impact

As a solution is yet to be identified, the traffic management arrangements during construction are yet to be confirmed.  We will coordinate the work to minimise the impact on the transport network as far as possible. Further details of this will be available closer to construction.

How it is being funded

Current project funding (Housing and Growth Deal) is for the development of a Placemaking Strategy and option development only. 

Further funding will be required to progress options to feasibility, design, and construction.

Next steps

The placemaking strategy has been developed and optioneering is progressing well and is due to be completed by the end of 2026.

A public consultation was held in 2023, showcasing design ideas across the five geographical areas within the centre of Didcot.  

You can still view the consultation ideas, drawings and FAQs on our Let’s Talk Oxfordshire platform; however, the survey is closed to contributions. You can also find a report detailing the survey results on the Let’s Talk platform.

Following the completion of optioneering, we expect to start feasibility work for a selection of project ideas, subject to funding.

Contact us

If you would like to know more about the project, you can contact us by email: DCCproject@oxfordshire.gov.uk