Drivers react to delays caused by Thames Water roadworks on Botley Road

The traffic signals have been in place for weeks near Botley bridge and a contractor on Monday said work to repair pipes was expected to last for at least another three weeks.

The cause of the damage to pipework was a boat colliding with it.

Oxfordshire County Council confirmed that Thames Water are on site to carry out repairs.

There has been repeated repair work over the years to repair underground pipes near the junction with Ferry Hinksey Road.

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SGN work and temporary traffic lights caused hold-ups for drivers in December when it carried out work on the road.

Oxford Bus Company said at the time that its services had been affected.

There were hold-ups due to roadworks on Botley Road throughout 2019, then in May 2020 there were changes to bus stops, and workers widened cycle lanes and pavements, replacing traffic lights, and resurfacing the road.

This was part of a multi-million pound county council scheme to £9.1m overhauling the route from its junction with Eynsham Road to Binsey Lane.

Traffic queuing in Botley Road

Members of the public were consulted upgraded junctions at Eynsham Road and at Seacourt park-and-ride, new cycle lanes and shared pedestrian and cycle paths, and new pedestrian and cycle crossings.

City councillor Colin Cook said at the time the new scheme was starting at the ‘wrong end of the road’.

A study of the Botley Road corridor in early 2016 identified key changes needed to encourage more people to travel by bus or other sustainable transport options, to reduce the overall amount of traffic and reduce vehicle emissions.

Owen Jenkins, the county council’s director of growth and economy, said in 2019: “The council is investing in better transport to help Oxford and Oxfordshire thrive.

“The proposals for Botley Road are the latest in a series of major enhancements that we have carried out to improve infrastructure – London Road bus lane, Frideswide Square, Cutteslowe and Wolvercote roundabouts, Access to Headington.

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“This phase of work alone won’t solve all of the city’s transport problems but will work alongside forthcoming schemes like Connecting Oxford, the replacement of Botley Road rail bridge, the second phase of Botley Road from Binsey Lane to the rail bridge, and also completed work like the Frideswide Square remodelling.

“We are also continuing to look at how a more intelligently coordinated traffic light system right along the corridor can be used to give greater priority to buses at busy times.”

The project was funded with £5m from The National Productivity Infrastructure Fund, £3.25m from the Growth Deal, plus £850,000 of funding from developers

RICHARD BOWEN: “Does anyone know how long these roadworks are expected to carry on for?”

‘FATHER JACK’: “More importantly, how long until they need to be repeated to fix the inevitable potholes that will appear?”

‘RED FOX’: 2Six months according to one of the road workers.”

‘OXFORD PROF’: “Roadworks is a generous description of what is going on there!

“Every time I have cycled past the area I see little or no work activity going on.

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“Most of the ‘workers’ are looking at their phones and seem totally oblivious to the mayhem they are causing. I do not sense any urgency to complete the work - I can only guess they get paid by the day.”

ANDREW FROM OXFORD: “With the rebuild of the station bridge (hopefully) happening in early course, wouldn’t it be a good time to plan for a complete closure and rebuild of the Botley Road at the same time?

“Be honest and upfront, tell people that the area between Bulstake Bridge and the station will be closed to all but pedestrian traffic for two years, and local residents allocated temporary parking at Seacourt park and ride.

"Then dig everything out and comprehensively upgrade the water, sewage and electricity pipes. With gas boilers being banned in due course, it wouldn’t be worthwhile replacing the gas pipes. Just remove them altogether and let the community switch to electric heating instead. Maybe prepare the areas for tram tracks at the same time?”