Witney High Street and Market Square enhancements scheme
A scheme to deliver street improvements in Witney
A scheme to deliver active travel street improvements that support and maintain the new traffic arrangement on Witney High Street and Market Square.
About the improvements
In 2023 we asked local people and businesses to help us design a plan for making enhancements to Witney High Street and Market Square by sharing what was important to them and what things they would like to improve.
This community engagement identified several priorities to be taken forward in the designs. Most people support for all the project objectives:
- Enhance public spaces while protecting the town’s history and character
- Support local businesses and the markets
- Make it easier and more enjoyable to walk, wheel and cycle
- Upgrade access to public transport
- Improve safety for all users
People told us the improvements they wanted to see delivered in the project:
- Improved footway surfacing
- More trees
- More plants and gardens
- More seating
- More information on history and heritage
Why we are investing here?
Now that there are much fewer cars travelling through the High Street and Market Square, we can look again at how road space could be reallocated to make the town centre a better place to spend time for shopping or leisure.
The improvements would aim to complement the town’s history and character but would also help to improve the look and feel of Witney for visitors and for those arriving by walking, cycling or public transport.
Minimising the impact
As we have not approved a design option for construction, the traffic management arrangements are yet to be confirmed. We will coordinate future work to minimise the impact on local businesses, visitors and residents. Further details of this will be available on our website and in local notices closer to the construction stage.
How it is being funded
Oxfordshire County Council has been awarded £1.98m from the government’s active travel fund - Active Travel England - GOV.UK
Next steps
We asked people to share their thoughts on draft designs in a public consultation between 11 September and 9 October. On 14 September and 19 September 2024, we held two public events at Witney Methodist Church, where members of the public could drop in to learn more and share feedback.
We reviewed all the responses received to identify and plan for any necessary design changes. A report on this recent public consultation is available to see on our Let’s Talk Oxfordshire page, and the council is now using the learning from participants to improve the designs. Once the design adjustments have been made, the plans will be presented for statutory consultation in early 2025, with construction then anticipated to begin in the summer of 2025.
Timescales
| Activity | Date |
|---|---|
| Community engagement | Autumn 2023 |
| Public consultation to review design proposals | Autumn 2024 |
| Final design option presented for consultation | Early 2025 |
| Construction starts | Summer 2025 |
| Construction finish | Summer 2025 |
Contact us
If you would like to know more about the project, you can contact us by email: witneyhighstreet@oxfordshire.gov.uk , or by writing to:
Witney High Street Project
Oxfordshire County Council
County Hall
New Road
Oxford
OX1 1ND.