PLANS have been submitted to improve the A34 Lodge Hill Interchange in Abingdon.

Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, have submitted plans for an improvement scheme in the area including south-facing slips from the A4183 Oxford Road to the A34.

Other plans include a new grade separated dumbbell junction, an off-slip to allow northbound traffic to exit the A34 and an on-slip to allow southbound traffic to enter the A34, sustainable drainage measures, revised access, balancing ponds, lighting columns, planting/landscaping, provision of shared footway and cycleway, vehicle restraint system, bus layby extension, fencing, signalised and unsignalised crossing for active travel users and associated infrastructure works.

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The plans are hoped to increase junction capacity, reduce congestion within the town centre, reduce journey times by providing direct access to the A34, reduce vehicles at the A34 Marcham Interchange and held provide infrastructure for new homes across the town.

Councillor Nathan Ley, who represents Abingdon North on the county council, said residents have been ‘waiting a long time’ for the plans to be submitted and the application as an ‘important milestone’.

He said: “I'm pleased we've finally ticked off this important milestone and got the planning application submitted.

“The designs are now much improved compared with the proposal presented last year, with safety, walking and cycling given better consideration.

“I think I speak for just about everyone in saying it’s high time this goes through and that promises made years and decades ago are finally fulfilled.

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“The next step of course depends on some degree of central government funding, but local people want to see this delivered and built."

The planning application follows a public consultation last year asking for residents’ feedback on the initial design and layout of the scheme.

As a result of the first consultation, and the feedback received, several changes were made before progressing to the next stage, including incorporating more active travel elements to provide more sustainable travel options for people living near to and using the network.

Residents commented that their preferred layout was a ‘dumb-bell configuration’, which means one bridge and two roundabouts.

Other feedback included the extension of the footway and cycleway, inclusion of an uncontrolled crossing and island to the south of the southern roundabout, a toucan crossing on the A34 slip road and the inclusion of a side road priority for cyclists.

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A consultation on the plans submitted will open on November 24 and close on December 24. Following this period, the planning committee hopes to reach a decision between February and March next year.

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Gee Harland. She joined the team in 2022 as a senior multimedia reporter.

Gee covers Wallingford, Wantage and Didcot.

Get in touch with her by emailing: Gee.harland@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @Geeharland

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