Motorists are being treated “like children” by being forced to drive a slower speed on one of Didcot’s main roads, said a district councillor.

Cllr Ian Snowdon has criticised the temporary 30mph speed limit on the A4130 between the Milton Interchange and the traffic lights for Great Western Park - previously a 60mph road.

The temporary reduction, which came into force in December 2022, will last until summer 2024 while work is carried out on a new junction for the Valley Park development.

READ MORE: Plans for 20mph speed limit in Didcot faces uncertain future

After the works, the road will be permanently reduced to 40mph.

Oxfordshire County Council, which runs the road, said the 30mph temporary limit was intended “to get people used to a lower limit.”

Cllr Snowdon, who represents Didcot West on South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “They spoke about preparing residents for the speed limit. They are treating residents like children, saying ‘you have to get used to driving that’.

“Hopefully everyone on the roads has passed a driving test and understands the number inside the red circle is the limit.

“Why do they have to get used to it?

“It’s Didcot residents again being treated poorly again by the county council.”

Although though the 30mph limit was applied over four months ago, the development work on the junction has still not started.

Developers Taylor Wimpey said it was delayed whilst key approvals were secured. It is now set to start in the summer.

Cllr Snowdon said the temporary limits should be scrapped until the work can begin.

He said: “Motorists have shown incredible patience over the last six months. To be made to drive at 30mph on a road that has always been a national speed limit before the works.”

Cllr Snowdon also disagreed with the road being permanently reduced to 40mph – a decision made following a public consultation in December 2020 and January 2021.

He claimed he was told in December 2022, when the temporary limit started, that the road would return to 60mph after the works. This is what he told constituents at the time.

He said: “It’s a long straight road with no residential houses bordering it. It’s not by a railway line and the visibility is good. It’s a bullet straight road.

“There’s a separate cycle and footpath. I agree with both ends being 40mph because then it starts to get built up again but in the middle area ridiculous to slow traffic down.

“They’re trying to make Didcot into a 20mph town anyway and this reduction is not needed.”