Measures to slow traffic approved for Oxfordshire villages

Judy Roberts, county council cabinet member for infrastructure and development, approved the changes at a county council meeting on Thursday (July 18) last week.

They include extension of the existing 30mph speed limit in Sugworth Lane in Radley as well as introduction of a new 40mph speed limit in Bagley Wood Road in Kennington.

READ MORE: Oxfordshire village getting 20mph measures due to speeding

New single yellow line parking restrictions will also come to both sides of The Avenue in Kennington and a new zebra crossings for pedestrians in St Swithun's Road, also in Kennington.

Sugworth Lane. (Image: Google Maps.)

This is in preparation of the A34 Lodge Hill Interchange Scheme which will mean new south-facing slip roads coming to the junction.

The majority of respondents to a formal consultation said they supported the proposals but some were worried about the plans for Sugworth Lane.

Speaking out at Thursday's meeting, Sharaz Arif, a council project manager on the Lodge Hill scheme, suggested the only real objections were around the Sugworth Lane part of the scheme.

Mr Arif said: "We did consider all options as a project team.

"Sugworth Lane has a much narrower carriageway which doesn’t lend itself to two vehicles passing each other."

He added: "The road itself doesn’t lend itself to these kind of features, especially in a rural area. It is counterintuitive to put these features in."

Ms Roberts also recalled having sat in on long discussion around Sugworth Lane.

Judy Roberts. (Image: Oxfordshire County Council.)

She said: "I think overall I'm going to recommend these changes are made but I would like to keep an eye on Sugworth Lane

"It has come up several times in the discussion."

A householder of St James Road in Radley went so far as to say in the consultation there "should not be vehicular access on Sugworth Lane once the slip roads are built".

They added: "Only cyclists and pedestrians and residential access should be allowed. The lane will become a rat run, it is narrow and twisty."

But an anonymous householder of Oxford Road in Abingdon said: "Why on earth do you want to reduce the speed limit?

"Allow traffic to travel at the speed it already does and it will dissipate quicker than slowing everything down."

A 30mph sign.

But one Kennington householder from St Swithuns Road said: "It's a narrow winding road and with more traffic using it a lower speed limit would make it safer."

Radley is a village and civil parish about two miles northeast of the centre of Abingdon.

It was part of Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.

Kennington is a village and civil parish also in the Vale of White Horse district, just south of Oxford.

And it was also in Berkshire until the 1974 boundary changes transferred it to Oxfordshire.

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About the author

Noor is the Local Democracy Reporter for Oxfordshire who covers political stories from across the county. 

She began working as a journalist in Oxford in September 2023 having graduated from the University of Oxford.

Noor was trained at the News Associates journalism school and can be found on X through the handle @NoorJQurashi