Bicester: Calls for crackdown on drivers blocking roundabout

Justin Leigh, who has lived in the town on and off over the last 15 years, wrote a letter to Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet member for transport management, about what he described as a "continued road violation" on a roundabout on the A41. 

He has also sent the letter to Calum Miller, MP for Bicester and Woodstock. 

Mr Leigh is calling for action to be taken to stop drivers sitting in the yellow box junction, which he says causes "gridlock".

In the letter he described the junction as "horrendous".

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He said the two lanes that merge into one are an "accident waiting to happen" and that he has had a few "near misses".

Mr Leigh, who says he has contacted police about the matter, says the lights adjacent to Bicester Village stay on green, however the ones before McDonald's are on red. 

"If the traffic is heavy, some road users - maybe those not local to the area - must assume that the lights will change in their favour and they enter the yellow box," he said.

Rule 174 of the Highway Code states that drivers "must not enter the box until [their] exit road or lane is clear", and at signalled roundabouts drivers "must not enter the box unless [they] can cross over it completely without stopping".

(Image: Google Street View) The A41 roundabout (Image: Google Maps) The 50-year-old is calling on Mr Gant to install a yellow box and signage or to increase the time sequence on the traffic lights so there is time for vehicles to clear. 

"With the amount of people that don't abide by the laws of the Highway code, [a yellow box camera] would be a good source of revenue for the council," he said.

In response to this, a spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said there are no plans to use ANPR cameras to enforce box junctions in this location or others in the county, but the "operation of the traffic signals will be looked at".

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A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said: "The problems described are due to driver error and we would urge motorists to observe the rules around yellow box junctions.

"Enforcement is a matter for Thames Valley Police. 

"We are not planning to use ANPR cameras to enforce box junctions in this location or others in the county.

"This follows guidance from the Department for Transport last year against these measures for areas outside London.

"All the traffic signals are working correctly. The operation of the traffic signals will be looked at, but any changes would be minimal due to the layouts involved."