Welcome to the Exhibition
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INVESTING IN THE A40 Welcome to the exhibition The A40 is used by over 30,000 vehicles each day and is the main route linking the M40, Oxford, Cheltenham and South Wales. This exhibition puts a spotlight on the A40 corridor. It sets out both what we are doing now to improve journeys for people and businesses who rely on this route, and why we need to attract further investment. We have set out a range of options for the long-term future of the A40 corridor, including possibilities for buses, cars, trains and trams. We need your views on these options now, so that we can be ready to bid for future funding opportunities from government as they arise. A44 Long Hanborough Gosford Yarnton A4095 If you have any questions as you go round, please A34 B4022 A40 A40 Cassington Minster Cutteslowe talk to a member of the project team who are here Lovell WITNEY B4477 Eynsham to help. Wolvercote Summertown A40 A40 Carterton B4449 A34 Barton Brize Norton Ducklington Marston Headington B4044 A415 New OXFORD Headington Risinghurst B4449 A420 Botley Cowley A34 Kennington Littlemore www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/connectingoxfordshire BACKGROUND Oxfordshire is a prosperous and vibrant county, combining a successful, thriving economy with a high quality environment. Current forecasts are for over 85,000 new jobs and 100,000 new homes in the county by 2031. This growth will have a significant impact on our transport network, with an ever increasing number of people and goods needing to use it. We cannot simply rely on small, short-term solutions; more radical solutions are required. Connecting Oxfordshire, our new Local Transport Plan, was agreed in September. The key objectives of Connecting Oxfordshire are to: • Support jobs and housing growth and economic vitality; • Reduce transport emissions and meet our obligations to Government; • Protect, and where possible enhance Oxfordshire’s environment and improve quality of life; and • Improve public health, air quality, safety and individual wellbeing. Why we need to improve the A40 The A40 is a single carriageway road and on the section between Witney and Oxford, between 23,000 and 30,000 vehicles currently use it each day, which is above the road’s capacity. Congestion on the road causes daily problems for road users and has been described by business leaders as one of the biggest barriers to economic growth and prosperity in West Oxfordshire. The quality of life for residents, and future economic prosperity of this part of Oxfordshire - key objectives for our Local Transport Plan - are threatened unless a suitable, long-term solution for the A40 corridor is found. This solution is likely to involve a combination of road and a public transport improvements. www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/connectingoxfordshire LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Oxfordshire County Council is committed to finding a long-term strategy to tackle current and projected congestion on the A40. As part of this strategy we want to: • Improve travel times and journey reliability along the A40 corridor, particularly between Witney and Oxford • Stimulate economic growth, in line with the Oxfordshire Strategic Economic Plan • Improve safety and reduce environmental impacts such as air pollution and noise along the A40 corridor What next for the A40? The next boards present a range of options for the long-term future of the A40 corridor, including possibilities for buses, cars, trains and trams. These options have been developed by the council in consultation with local residents, community representatives and businesses. While they are presented as distinct options, a combination of schemes could be taken forward. We invite you to share your views on the options presented. www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/connectingoxfordshire WHO USES THE A40? The diagram below shows a snapshot of car journeys travelling eastbound along the A40 between Cassington and Wolvercote during the morning peak. ORIGIN OF JOURNEY DESTINATION OF JOURNEY Bristol, Bath & Avon <1% 3% Bucks Devon & Cornwall <1% 9% London Glocs 6% 72% Oxford Wales 1% A40 <1% Berks West Oxfordshire 91% 14% South Oxfordshire Wilts 2% 2% South East E Although the A40 is a strategically Light goods vehicles (14%) important road, most of the Lorries (9%) peak time traffic is locally based. Buses (1%) Although there is a higher than Cycles (<1%) average proportion of light goods Motorcycle (1%) vehicles and lorries, the road is still Cars and vans (75%) dominated by cars and vans. www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/connectingoxfordshire AGREED INVESTMENT IN THE A40 UP TO 2025 E A44 Long Hanborough Gosford TO BIRMINGHAM Yarnton A4095 A34 B4022 L J A40 A40 Cassington Minster Cutteslowe Lovell WITNEY F G H G G K B4477 M TO CHELTENHAM A D Eynsham B I Wolvercote Summertown C TO LONDON A40 N A40 Carterton B4449 A34 Barton Brize Norton Ducklington Q Marston Headington B4044 O P A415 New OXFORD Headington Risinghurst B4449 A420 Botley Local Growth Fund Scheme: A40 Science Transit Highlighted points F – I are a new scheme to deliver £36 million of improvements. Cowley This was agreed by Cabinet in July 2015. Work to develop these schemes will take place A34 over the next 12 months. TO NEWBURY Kennington Littlemore A Access to Carterton E Hanborough Station H A40 Bus Lane K Northern Gateway Site Link Road N Access to Headington Scheme Q A34 Improvements Improvements to the B4477 and First Great Western has applied New bus priority measures – part and A40/A44 Junctions Junction and road improvements Highways England is planning western facing slips on the A40 at for funding to expand the car park, of Local Growth Fund Scheme New infrastructure to access to reduce congestion and improvements to the Peartree and Minster Lovell – subject to funding provide a bus/rail interchange and development and also provide a improve access to the hospitals in Botley interchanges and improved I Bus Priority at the Swinford improve passenger facilities at more direct link to Peartree Park & Headington driver information on the Trunk Road B Access to Witney – Downs Road Toll Bridge Hanborough Station Ride and A34 by the end of 2019/20. The A34 New junction at Grade roundabout New bus priority scheme on Oxford O Headington Roundabout around Oxford is included in the F A40 Park & Ride bound approaches to Swinford Toll L Oxford Parkway Station New bus priority measures – C Access to Witney – wider Oxford-Cambridge Expressway New A40 Park & Ride (location to Bridge, Eynsham – part of Local New rail station next to Water Eaton completed March 2015 Ducklington Lane study, which could reduce pressures be determined) Growth Fund scheme Park & Ride providing direct rail Junction capacity and safety P Expansion of Thornhill on A40 by providing an alternative links between Oxford and London improvements at junction with A40 Junction Improvements J A40-A44 Strategic Link Road Park & Ride route for some trips Marylebone – opening autumn 2015 Duckington Lane and Station Lane – G Junction improvements to A40 at New road linking A40-A44, Car parking capacity increased by completed in 2014 Eynsham and Cassington – part of bypassing Wolvercote roundabout M Cutteslowe & Wolvercote 500 spaces, new A40/London Road Local Growth Fund Scheme and providing a link to the A34 and Roundabouts bus priority and cycle improvements D Access to Witney – Shore’s Green Oxford Parkway Station from West Junction improvements to Cutteslowe – completed summer 2013 New western facing slips at Oxfordshire and Wolvercote roundabouts – work Shore’s Green starts summer 2015 A40 BUS LANE Approximate cost £50 million This option involves building 3 metre wide bus lanes on the existing verges between Witney Bypass (Shores Green) and the Duke’s Cut canal bridge in both directions. The bus lanes will be separated from the general traffic lanes by a 1 metre buffer. Use of the bus lanes will normally be restricted to buses but could also be used by emergency vehicles, and by other traffic when necessary. Features 1 Bus lanes start and finish at 3 Possible use of old road Witney Bypass, Shores Green for eastbound bus lane at KIDLINGTON High frequency bus services serving a range of origins and Barnard Gate A34 destinations. 2 Bus Lanes constructed in each verge 4 Bus Gate west of Duke’s Cut Delay free bus journey from Witney to north Oxford. bridge linked to Wolvercote Roundabout signals LONG 11 minute journey time from Shores Green to Wolvercote. HANBOROUGH Easily serve possible Park and Ride to the north of the A40. YARNTON FREELAND May need to be considerable clearance of verge side trees and other vegetation to create space for bus lanes. MINSTER Predominantly uses land within the highway boundary, LOVELL therefore minimal land needs to be acquired. Although A40 4 3 CASSINGTON additional land may be required for tree planting to screen 2 the A40. 1 2 2 Minimal physical impact on Oxford Meadows Special Area of WITNEY EYNSHAM Conservation. A40 Could be extended to junction with proposed A40-A44 Strategic Link Road, but at considerable additional cost. Builds on from the proposed A40 Science Transit bus lane scheme, reducing the cost by £15 million. DUCKLINGTON OXFORD STANTON HARCOURT BOTLEY A34 A4095 A415 A420 www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/connectingoxfordshire GUIDED BUSWAY Approximate cost £165 million This option involves installing a two-way guided busway track to provide a new route from Witney to Oxford using specially adapted buses. The proposed route would use the line of the old railway from Witney to Cassington, except in Eynsham where buses would use the roads through the village. The route would continue with a guided busway alongside A40 to Duke’s Cut canal bridge. Features 1 Busway starts 4 Busway on line of 6 Busways built in at Ducklington old railway verges Cassington KIDLINGTON High or Medium frequency buses serving a wide range of Roundabout to Duke’s Cut A34 origins and destinations 5 Busway terminates Bridge 2 New alignment at Station Road Time savings of up to 15 minutes for guided bus users at peak from Ducklington and buses travel 7 Busway ends at times from Witney to Oxford.