Delays at busy Abingdon roundabout as new homes built

County council contractors started work a year ago at the Peachcroft roundabout, which links Oxford Road, Dunmore Road and Twelve Acre Drive.

The improvement scheme, which includes widening the road and providing a new slip road from Dunmore Road towards Lodge Hill, was due to take about a year to complete.

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But hundreds of new homes are being built in the area by housebuilders David Wilson Homes and Bellway and it appears utility work for the new homes could delay the completion of the roundabout improvements.

This week construction workers have been laying high voltage cables to serve new Bellway homes and this prompted temporary traffic lights on Dunmore Road next to the roundabout.

(Image: Andy Ffrench) One contractor at the site said their work had taken longer than expected and they hoped to complete it within days.

Abingdon North county councillor Nathan Ley has been keeping an eye on progress at the roundabout.

He wrote on Facebook earlier this month: "As one of the local councillors, I want to update you on the delayed works at Peachcroft roundabout.

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"The developers have informed me that the main issue is the need to lay a new foul drain from north of the roundabout, through it, and down towards Abingdon, connecting near the pedestrian crossing on Oxford Road.

"Unfortunately, Thames Water has not yet signed the necessary agreement with David Wilson Homes to allow the sewer installation.

(Image: Andy Ffrench) "This agreement is crucial for the roundabout improvement works to continue, as there’s no point in laying new surfaces only to dig them up again.

"The developers assure me that a resolution with Thames Water is imminent. However, once the agreement is signed, they will then need to book road closures to progress the works.

"This sort of thing probably happens more often than we think, but I understand frustration with these delays."

A spokesperson for Barratt and David Wilson Homes Southern said: “We are waiting for the Thames Water agreement to be signed to allow us to proceed with the necessary works at Peachcroft Roundabout.

“We expect this to be imminent and we will then work with Oxfordshire County Council Highways to schedule the required road closures and begin the work promptly.”

Thames Water has also been asked to comment.

Mr Ley said improvement work at the Peachcroft roundabout was not connected with work to provide new south facing slip roads at the A34 Abingdon North junction at nearby Lodge Hill, which is also being oversee by the county council.

Work has now started to prepare for the new improved A34 junction near Abingdon.

The junction at Lodge Hill currently only has north-facing slip roads, but the scheme will add new south-facing slip roads, as well as making cycling and walking easier and safer in the area.

Adding the south-facing slip roads will remove traffic from Abingdon town centre, as some drivers will no longer have to travel through it to access the A34 southbound at the Marcham interchange.

The main construction of the two new south-facing A34 slip roads is anticipated to start in the autumn and take two years to complete.

In April, Oxfordshire County Council entered into a grant funding agreement with Homes England to secure £17.3m towards the cost of the scheme.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

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