Here is the full text of the letter sent out to residents living near the London Road by Oxfordshire County Council. We have asked the County to confirm that signage will be clearly displayed on the A40 and Eastern Bypass to show that Headington’s businesses are open as usual.
Click Publicity Plan Section 1 for a plan of the first phase of works
London Road Major Maintenance Scheme, Headington
I am writing to inform you that Oxfordshire County Council will be undertaking carriageway repair work on the A420 London Road in Headington between Wharton Road and Northfield Road, a distance of approximately 500m.
The road works are programmed to commence on Monday 5 January 2015 and are expected to last for up to 18 weeks, subject to any bad weather or unforeseen circumstances arising during construction.
The work will include resurfacing of the existing carriageway, drainage improvements and kerbing works.
What we will be doing
London Road is one of Oxford’s busiest arterial routes leading in from the east. Each day around 16,000 vehicles, including up to 900 buses and coaches, use the route. It also serves as a key distributer road for residents and businesses of Headington.
The road surface has deteriorated considerably and major works are necessary to repair the road to a serviceable state. The bus lane on the south side of London Road is to be reconstructed to a depth of 550mm and the two running lanes are to receive a 200mm inlay treatment.
Works will also include replacing damaged/broken kerbs and drainage improvements to deal with standing water on the road.
While works are being undertaken to reconstruct the bus lane, vehicular access to adjacent properties will be compromised. We have arranged parking permits which will allow you to park, free of charge, in the surrounding side streets. Should you require your vehicle during these times, we request that you utilise the parking permits or make alternative travel arrangements. Permits will be made available in advance of the works by contacting the Highways Enquiry Team, details below.
This latest phase of work will run concurrent with the first phase which has been set back by unforeseen problems with utilities. It is hoped that the first phase of the scheme will be complete during January. For more information on major transport improvement work taking place in and around Oxford, including at The Plain roundabout, visit
www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/travelchoices
Traffic Management
The county council has designed its traffic management to minimise the impact on road users, residents and businesses affected by this work.
Delays are to be expected throughout the time when the road works are underway and everyone is being asked to review their daily route, mode of transport and time of travel and where possible consider alternatives.
The works will be undertaken in eight phases under a system of single lane working controlled by temporary traffic signals combined with temporary side road closures to control traffic flows. The traffic signals will be in place for the duration of the works and will be manually controlled between the hours of 07.00-19.00 to help reduce congestion.
At the end of the works, two night-time closures of London Road will be implemented in order to install the final road surface. Further details of the date and times of the closures will be publicised in advance, nearer the time.
During the road works, staff (traffic gatemen) will be positioned at either end of the site extents to redirect traffic and pedestrians to ensure the safety of the public and workforce. We request that you give them your full support whether you are a pedestrian, cyclist or motorist.
Every effort will be made to accommodate essential vehicular access to properties and businesses adjacent to the works area but this will be subject to progress of the works. Individual requirements will have to be agreed with the Scheme Supervisor once works have started on site.
Keeping You Informed
A number of methods of communication are being used to keep you informed during the works:
Specific website for the project, which will be updated on a regular basis – www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/A420LondonRoad
Site bulletins will be uploaded onto the webpage. You will also be able to register your details to receive future works updates via email as they are released.
The county council’s Travel Choices webpages will assist people in gaining live travel information, finding out about other major transport schemes and alternative modes of transport – www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/travelchoices
Twitter – follow @oxfordshirecc for travel updates across the county.
Signs are being placed on site to forewarn road users in advance of the works.
Updates in local media including radio/website travel bulletins.
If you think the works will cause you particular problems with access or deliveries or require further information then please contact the Highways Enquiry Team on 0845 310 1111 or highway.enquiries@oxfordshire.gov.uk (08.30-17.00 Monday-Thursday and 08.30-16.00 on Fridays).
Although the works will result in disruption, they are essential to resurface and strengthen the carriageway and should mean that no major road reconstruction will be required on this stretch of road for many years to come. Every effort will be made to undertake the works as quickly as possible and with minimum disruption.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What does the second phase of work involve?
The second phase will take place between January and May 2015 and will include resurfacing from the junction with Wharton Road to the junction with Northfield Road. This will involve a full reconstruction of the westbound bus lane, replacing damaged and broken kerbing and drainage improvements.
Why do you need to do this?
The road surface has deteriorated considerably and major works are necessary to repair the road to a serviceable state. The bus lane is in a particularly poor condition and will require full reconstruction.
What is the cost?
The county council is investing £2.1million in the improvement and maintenance work.
Why are you doing the work at the same time as the first phase and work on Plain?
The first phase is now expected to be completed by mid-January 2015. This is due to the need to relocate some underground services from communication and utility companies.
The second phase is proposed to take place between January and May 2015. The overall timeframe for the project has not changed. Work on the Plain roundabout was postponed from its original start date in 2014.
Work on the second phase will begin in January and the traffic management arrangements will be coordinated to reduce congestion as far as possible. Starting on the original intended start date of January 2015 means that the much needed work gets done sooner.
What will the working hours be?
The working hours will be 7.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday. Saturday working will be limited to 7.30am to 1.00pm. We do not envisage working on Sundays, but this will be reviewed if we encounter any delays.
An element of night time working will be required to carry out the final resurfacing on London Road. This will be carried out between 8.00pm and 6.00am the following morning. Noisy work such as removing the existing road surface will be restricted and will be stopped at 11.00pm. Resurfacing activities, which are generally quieter, will carry on until 6.00 am. Appropriate measures will be put in place to restrict noise generated by this activity.
What are the diversions or alternative routes?
No official diversion routes will be signed during the works. Advanced warning signs will be erected giving road users warning of the start date and duration of the work.
We would encourage people wishing to use the London Road to plan their journeys in advance and to make use of the county council’s Travel Choices website.
Will bus services be affected?
We anticipate some delay to bus services along this route during the works, especially at peak times.
Bus stops into and out of Oxford located along London Road will need to be temporarily closed during the works. These closures will be advertised at the bus stops and will include information on the location of an alternative.
How will cyclists and pedestrians be catered for while the work is done?
The existing footway on the south side of London Road will remain open to pedestrians at all times. Similarly, the existing segregated footway/cycleway facility on the north side of London Road will also remain open to pedestrians and cyclists.
Is parking affected?
While work is being done to reconstruct the bus lane, vehicular access to adjacent properties will be compromised. We have arranged parking permits which will allow residents to park, free of charge, in the surrounding side streets. Should residents require their vehicle during these times, we request that they utilise the parking permits or make alternative travel arrangements.
How will my business get deliveries?
During the works access to Headington on both the A40 and A420 sections of the London Road will be maintained. As with any road works, delays to normal journey times should be expected and we urge road users to take this into account when planning their journey.
Access to shops/businesses located on London Road will be maintained throughout the works.
I want to ask a question or make a complaint – how can I do this?
If you would like to make a complaint or ask a question about these works you have a choice of methods to use:
- Scheme website, found at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/A420LondonRoad
- Oxfordshire County Council’s Customer Service Centre 0845 310 11 11 If our Customer Service Team can’t answer your question we can arrange for one of the council’s officers to respond to you directly.