The North Witney Consortium has carefully considered the layout of the proposed scheme to ensure a new link road can be provided through the development, which protects and enhances the existing features whilst also avoiding most built development within the central green corridor.

A full Transport Assessment will be submitted that provides a detailed assessment of the existing transport connections and environment. It will include:

  • Details of the proposed access to the site
  • Off-site transport enhancements
  • Detailed peak hour traffic assessment of the off-site highway network

A Travel Plan will also be provided alongside the planning application, which will provide details of strategies for construction management and ensure sustainable transport habits are adopted by residents of the development from the early outset.

Benefits of our highways proposals

  • A new Northern Distributor Road between Hailey Road and Woodstock Road, reducing traffic pressure through the centre of Witney
  • Active travel enhancements for pedestrians and cyclists to encourage sustainable transport through two travel corridors on Woodstock Road and Hailey Road
  • Surface improvements along Woodstock Road
  • New Dutch roundabout junctions which will also include pedestrian and cycle connections
  • Pedestrian and cycle connections to the existing and retained Public Rights of Way (PRoW)

The West End Link

As part of the allocation of the site in the West Oxfordshire District Council Local Plan, there was a requirement outlined to deliver the West End Link (WEL) which would connect between the West End / Crawley Road junction and the Woodford Way junction. However, since the adoption of the Local Plan, the Oxfordshire County Council has released further guidance (Decide and Provide) that promotes the delivery of sustainable, active modes of transport with additional infrastructure for private motorised modes only considered “after all other options have been explored”.

This, alongside the new Shores Green Slip Road and the Northern Distributor Road, would serve to divert traffic away from Witney. The sustainable travel measures proposed through the development means that some of the traffic associated with the development will be offset by virtue of the delivery Shores Green Slip Road that is expected to be complete in 2025. Therefore, the Consortium believes that the WEL is no longer considered to be required to deliver this development.