Planned roadworks on dozens of Oxfordshire roads will be halted during the festive period help communities, shoppers and businesses.

The routine roadwork schemes will be paused by Oxfordshire County Council as a seasonal initiative on certain roads from Friday, December 3 until Tuesday, January 4.

Emergency roadworks, however, will still be permitted but only when necessary.

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In these cases, the council says they will take measures to ‘mitigate’ the impact on road users.

Councillor Tim Bearder, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways management, said: “Roadworks are necessary to maintain and improve infrastructure, but we need to strike a balance to allow traffic to flow as freely as possible.

“That is why we are imposing a seasonal restriction on non-essential roadworks on a number of key routes as people travel to enjoy the festive period, do their Christmas shopping and support local businesses who have struggled throughout the pandemic.

“If you are travelling into Oxford, we would urge you to put on a face covering and use the bus, including the park and ride sites, where possible. It will help you beat the congestion and avoid the need to find parking spaces, which are in limited supply in the city, especially at this time of year.”

The council adds that some major infrastructure work will continue due to the nature of the work which is already in progress but where possible traffic management will be reduced to the minimum.

Night-time working, where all traffic management is removed during the working day, will be permitted.

The main roads where roadworks will be halted are:

Central Oxford

• Queen Street

• St Aldates

• Cornmarket Street

• High Street

• Longwall Street

• George Street

• St Giles/Magdalen Street

• New Road

• Hythe Bridge Street

• Park End Street

• Banbury Road

• Woodstock Road

• Oxpens Road

Rest of the city and county

• A40 Oxford Northern bypass including North Way, Elsfield Way

• A40 M40 to Headington

• A40 Burford to Wolvercote

• A41 M40 to Bicester Esso roundabout

• A41 Esso roundabout to Buckinghamshire border

• A44 from Enstone to Salford

• A44 B4437 to A40

• A361 from A44/A3400 into Chipping Norton to Old London Road

• A361 Bloxham Road from Wykham Lane to Hennef Way

• A361 Williamscot to Junction 11

• A361 Fullbrook to Signet

• A415 Marcham Interchange to Abingdon

• A415 Clifton Hampden to Marcham

• A417 Grove Park Drive junction (Ardington) to East Challow

• A417 Park Road from A420 to Step Farm

• A420 Botley to Shrivenham

• A420 Oxford High Street, St Clements, Headington Road, London Road

• A422 County Boundary to Drayton

• A423 Little Bourton to Hennef Way

• A423 Southern Bypass Road A423 Thameside Henley

• A424 Westhall Hill to A361

• A3130 Milton Interchange to Didcot

• A4074 Shillingford to B4009 junction

• A4074 Sandford on Thames to A4142/A423 junction

• A4095 Chesterton to A4421

• A4130 Brightwell to Wallingford including around Wallingford to A4074

• A4130 from Hadden Hill to Rowstock

• A4130 New Street, Hart Street Henley, Fairmile to B480

• A4142 Eastern Bypass Road

• A4144 entire length

• A4155 county boundary at Playhatch to County Boundary Marlow Road

• A4158 Iffley Road/Rose Hill/Oxford Road

• A4165 Banbury Road entire length

• A4183 A34 to Abingdon centre including Stert Street, Stratton Way, High Street

• A4185 A34 to Rowstock

• A4260 Adderbury to Hennef Way

• A4260 from Langford Lane to A44

• A4421 entire length (except Charbridge Lane which will be closed by East West Rail)

• B430 entire length

• B480 Watlington Road Stadhampton to The Plain

• B4000 County Boundary to Bourton

• B4009 South Stoke to County Boundary

• B4016 Appleford to East Hagbourne

• B4017 Drayton to Abingdon

• B4017 A420 to B4044

• B4019 Coxwell Street to Badbury Hill

• B4020 entire length

• B4030 Vendee Drive

• B4035 North Newington turn to Banbury Cross

• B4044 Eynsham to A420

• B4100 A43 to A41/A4421 junction

• B4100 County Boundary near Hanwell to A422

• B4100 Warwick Road Banbury

• B4150 Marsh Road, Marson Road

• B4449 Stanton Harcourt Road to B4044

• B4477 A40 to B4020

• B4493 from A417 to A4130

• B4495 Marston Ferry Road, Headley Way, Windmill Road, The Slade, Hollow Way, Between Towns Road

• B4495 Weirs Lane

• B4508 county boundary to A420

• B4508 Majors Road to Longcot

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