OXFORD City Council and Oxfordshire County Council appear to have agreed a major change in the route for the Oxford City half marathon this October.

Although the councils claim that ‘in planning the event every effort is made to minimise the disruption’ and that ‘the route has been carefully considered’, we would beg to disagree.

The route effectively closes both the Banbury Road into the centre of Oxford and the Marston Ferry Road and adjacent cycle track for much of the day, but we, the local city and county councillors, were ignored when the route was being discussed.

We have already been contacted by local residents unhappy about the effects on their plans for the day.

The route will also affect both local traders and the Summertown Farmers Market.

This event has been scheduled at a time when there are major roadworks at the Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts.

Drivers are already being asked to avoid the area but, even now, despite it being the summer holiday period with reduced traffic volumes, there is increased congestion.

On Sunday, October 11 there will be no way of drivers “using an alternative route” as they will all be closed for the half marathon! Since St Cross Road and Parks Road will also be closed, drivers will either have to make a massive detour around the western ring road, or join what promises to be a traffic jam on the eastern ring road.

The half marathon is an excellent event that raises much money for charities; we just wish the decision to change the route had been postponed until after the roadworks on the ring road had been completed.

LIZ WADE 
Lib Dem City Councillor for St Margaret’s Ward
JOHN HOWSON 
County Councillor for St Margaret’s
JEAN FOOKS 
City and County Councillor