Work begins on Oxford's The Plain to improve it for cyclists

Dr Felce, 35, was struck by Robert Whiting’s tipper lorry on March 1 at the junction with The Plain and St Clements and she died at the scene.

40-year-old Whiting was sentenced to eight years in prison on September 8 after Oxford Crown Court found the unlicensed HGV driver was high on cocaine behind the wheel.

READ MORE: Oxford man handed prison sentence for stealing steaks

Ling Felce died on The Plain in March

It was one of several deaths which prompted Oxford County Council to adopt the Vision Zero strategy – an ambition to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries by 2050.

The Plain roundabout has the highest cycle flow of any roundabout in Oxfordshire – and one of the highest in the UK – with around 12,000 bike journeys per day during university term times.

It is also a critical junction for many of the city’s bus services.

The roadworks will take place overnight until Friday (Image: Newsquest)

Roadworks at The Plain roundabout, Cowley Road, Iffley Road, Cowley Place and St Clement’s Street began yesterday (November 21) and are expected to finish by Friday (November 25).

Work is being carried out through the night (8pm to 5am) to minimise disruption.

The changes to The Plain include:

• amendments to road markings and traffic signs
• installation of road studs, bollards and cycle stands
• installing light cycle lane segregation units
• vegetation clearance

The aim is to improve safety on the roundabout (Image: Newsquest)

The work involves temporary traffic lights on The Plain with the Cowley Road arm closed to vehicles.

Vehicles greater than 7.5 tonnes and buses will be diverted down Iffley Road and Between Towns Road.

Vehicles under 7.5 tonnes travelling towards Cowley will be diverted along Iffley Road then Temple Street.

Vehicles travelling towards the city centre will be diverted to Stockmore Street then Iffley Road.

The roundabout is one of the busiest in the UK (Image: Newsquest)

For the duration of the closure, each night, both Temple Street and Stockmore Street will operate one way systems and the low traffic neighbourhood bollards will be removed.

When the work was announced, councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways management, said: “We have spent a considerable amount of time investigating ways of improving safety at The Plain roundabout.

"These changes were drawn up in collaboration with cycling groups and we are grateful for their help in this process.

The works will see several improvements made (Image: Newsquest)

“Our commitment to Vision Zero means we will continue to work with local cycling groups to help ensure new cycling infrastructure is designed and delivered to maximise safety.

"We want people to feel safe and secure when travelling around the city and county by bike and it’s clear that we need to continue to improve.”

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Read more from this author

This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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