Woodstock Road corridor improvements
Improvements to walking, cycling and public transport along the Woodstock Road corridor (A4144), from Wolvercote Roundabout to Green Templeton College, St. Giles, to enable more sustainable travel choices and to help support planned new housing in Oxford.
What is being proposed?
The proposals include continuous pedestrian and cycling routes, with segregated cycle lanes and wider footpaths where possible.
They will replace the existing cycle routes, which are often shared with buses or other motorised traffic, giving both pedestrians and cyclists their own safe space.
This will enable people who live, work or travel along Woodstock Road to make more sustainable travel choices, resulting in reduced traffic, improved air quality, and safer travel. The proposed changes will also help support planned new housing in Oxford.
Timetable
| Activity | Target date |
|---|---|
| Public consultation on initial proposals | 28 October – 28 November 2021 - Complete |
| Next design stage | December-June 2022 |
| Further consultation | Summer 2022 |
Why we are investing here
We are committed to creating a low-traffic environment while also addressing the transport challenges that come with growth in Oxfordshire.
More than 150,000 vehicles cross Oxford’s ring road each day, with the vast majority being private vehicles and currently 75% of local air pollution in Oxford comes from traffic. Currently, every morning, vehicles across the city emit 50 tonnes of CO2.
As a major road in Oxford, Woodstock Road has been identified as a route that would benefit significantly from these improvements. By investing now and giving people options other than travelling by car, we can minimise the impact of motorised traffic as the city grows. The proposed changes along Woodstock Road will result in:
- More sustainable travel options
- Reduced congestion on roads
- Improved air quality
- Improved safety for all users and reduced accidents
- More enjoyable and improved bus journeys
The project also supports the county’s wider Transport Strategy including Connecting Oxford, and the A40 Science Transit and the A44 Corridor North Oxford Improvements projects.
How were the proposals arrived at?
The initial proposals were prepared in collaboration with representatives from key users, including walking, cycling, and neighbourhood groups, as well as bus operators and the University of Oxford.
A co-production approach was used to engage with key users at the early stages of the project. Several sessions were held between March and July 2021 to help us understand users’ priorities and create subsequent designs. This process has helped us present a detailed and informed proposal to the public for further comments.
How much will it cost?
The total budget for this project is £12.5m, secured from government funding (Growth Deal).
Detailed scheme costing and estimates will be undertaken at each stage of design with actual quotations received before construction begins to ensure the works fit within the available budget.
If you have any specific questions please contact the delivery team at woodstockroadcorridor@oxfordshire.gov.uk
Frequently asked questions
A list of questions can be found on our LetsTalk website
Background information
The Woodstock Road corridor is a key facilitator of movement into the city of Oxford from locations to the north of the City, and county, and to the west of the county. Traffic demands on the corridor are forecast to increase in future years, as a result of planned growth to the north of the City and to the west of the city. The corridor is currently subject to low traffic speeds, inconsistent pedestrian and cycle priority, and has issues with congestion and journey time reliability.
The project has been identified through the Local Transport Plan 4 and the Oxford Transport Strategy which set out plans to provide high-quality transport routes that prioritise public and sustainable transport (cycle and pedestrian measures) and future proof for emerging technologies, including autonomous vehicles. The transport strategy identifies measures to support the county's wider growth agenda, which for this project includes connections with projects at Oxford North, Eynsham, Yarnton, Begbroke, Kidlington, and North Cutteslowe around Oxford Parkway.