A NEW road junction in Oxford, condemned by cycling groups, will become more perilous once university students return according to a city centre councillor.

As reported in yesterday’s Oxford Mail the re-designed junction between Worcester Street, Hythe Bridge Street and George Street had been criticised by national charity The Cyclist’s Touring Club. Cyclists approaching the junction from Hythe Bridge Street can go straight on into George Street ignoring a ‘left-turn only’ sign which only applies to drivers.

The junction reopened in December after three months of work as part of the first stage of the Frideswide Square redevelopment.

Liberal Democrat county councillor John Howson said the junction was not clear. He fears cyclists could be involved in accidents with motorists.

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He said: “It seems cyclists have to either get off their bike and become a pedestrian or follow the road around. It will take a major re-education to stop cyclists taking the shortest route into the city centre. It’s not clear and there’s a risk it could become a serious problem.

“The danger is somebody is going to get killed, particularly when the universities come back and there will be more cyclists around.

“University students will come back to a junction where other road users have had a few weeks to get used to it. They will be the most at risk.”

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