TENS of millions could be pumped into major improvements to ease the crush on the A40 between Oxford and Witney if new proposals get the green light.

Oxfordshire County Council has revealed plans to spend £180m upgrading the stretch, including a new Eynsham park-and-ride and an eastbound bus lane between Eynsham and the Duke's Cut canal bridge, near Wolvercote.

It is hoped the upgrades will ease congestion on one of the county's busiest routes, which is used by up to 32,000 cars every day.

Construction is scheduled to start next year if funds are approved, but residents can have their say during a consultation period starting on November 30.

Oxford Mail:

Upcoming consultations will also offer people the chance to have a first look at further improvements to the A40, such as extending the dual carriageway at Witney to the new park-and-ride.

The road has been repeatedly criticised by motorists, but Oxfordshire County Council's director of planning and place, Susan Halliwell, believes these plans will relieve some of the issues.

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She said: “The plans cover many of the things that people consistently call for – better public transport, better cycling infrastructure and congestion pinch-points being dealt with.

“Economic growth across Oxfordshire presents challenges but also some really big opportunities to invest now for the future so that we can continue to enable communities to thrive across the county."

The project is largely funded through the Local Growth Fund, with £35m already provisionally secured.

The council can apply for the other £145m through the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), which would cover the extra improvements.

A park-and-ride and an eastbound bus lane to the Duke's Cut bridge have long been mooted, with previous consultations held as far back as December 2016.

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In the new proposals, the park and ride would be located north of the A40, west of Cuckoo Lane, Eynsham, to the north west of the village.

Construction is currently programmed to take place from 2019 to 2021 and it is expected the facility will be subject to a planning application in spring 2019.

New bus stops on the A40, westbound bus priority and junction improvements at certain points of the stretch also feature in the 'bus lane project'.

Extra improvements have been broken down into five elements, one of which is extending the A40 dual carriageway.

Widening the Duke's Cut and Wolvercote Railway bridges and lengthening the westbound bus priority lane are two other elements.

The county council said it is working to ensure the A40 upgrades link into the Oxford North development, which is planned for land between the Wolvercote roundabout, the A34 and the Pear Tree roundabout.

Oxford Mail:

Three public consultations will take place next month at the following venues:

Saturday, December 1, 3pm - 6pm, Cassington Village Hall (Main Hall)

Monday, December 3, 4.30pm - 8pm, Eynsham Village Hall (Main Hall)

Wednesday, December 5, 1pm - 5pm, Witney Methodist Church (Upper Hall)

You can also have your say online at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/A40 between November 30 and January 1, 2019.