About the project

Confirmed design for construction

Bicester is one of the fastest-growing towns in Oxfordshire and the Banbury Road roundabout is a key junction along the Bicester ring road which was identified as a site for improvement in our Local Transport Plan.

The junction must be able to safely handle the number of vehicles travelling in the area, when new homes and jobs come to the town, and provide improved facilities that encourage more people to walk and cycle.

We are redeveloping this junction, and the planned work will:

• convert the existing roundabout into a signalised junction better able to cope with increased traffic levels
• improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians, with segregated cycleways and crossings at the western and southern arms of the redesigned junction
• increase capacity, helping to address congestion
• maintain access for drivers making a right turn from Fringford Road
• incorporate a reduced speed limit of 30mph.

What you can expect

We will work in phases to remove the existing roundabout island and construct the improved junction.

The timeline and detail of this work may change, due to the complexity of the project, any unexpected discoveries in the ground and weather conditions.

Diversion route in place for drivers until late July 2024; no change from phase one of construction.

Diversion route in place from early May to late July 2024 with the Fringford Road remaining closed to drivers. Pedestrians and cyclists will have access down the Fringford Road footway and pavement from the end of May.

A diagram showing the details of the different stages of work (pdf format, 275KB)

How can I stay up to date?

This web page will be updated regularly, including with information about local events where you can ask questions about the work.

We recommend signing up to our travel and transport bulletin

Satellite navigation systems (SAT-NAV) will display updates on the road closures which could help when planning journeys.

Traffic management arrangements are also available by visiting https://one.network/

Feedback

Contact us

If you would like to get in touch, please email banburyroadroundabout@oxfordshire.gov.uk. or write to Oxfordshire County Council, County Hall, New Road, Oxford, OX1 1ND. You can also register your interest in receiving updates about the work.

How it is being funded

The scheme budget for the improvements is £10.7m. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities are providing £5.5m, with £5.20m secured from the Growth Deal. The money can only be used for this scheme.

More information

Why are these improvements needed?

With more than 6,000 new homes planned for the local area, data forecasting shows that the current roundabout will not be able to safely handle the volume of predicted vehicle traffic. The redesigned junction will improve safety for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians by regulating traffic in a more structured way using signals and lower speed limits.

What will the new junction look like?

The existing roundabout will be converted into a signalised junction. We are adding segregated crossings and paths for pedestrians and cyclists at the western and southern arms and reducing the speed limit to 30 miles per hour.

Why does the speed limit need to reduce?

Due to the crossing and raised table included in the new design, it is a legal requirement to reduce the speed limit to 30 miles per hour.

Why are you trying to encourage more walking and cycling?

Encouraging more people to walk, cycle or take public transport if they can is a key ambition of our local transport and connectivity plan. The redesigned junction will have better pavements and cycle paths and safer crossings, to help us achieve this.

How did you decide on the design?

An online public consultation on the initial three design options was held from 19 March to 9 April 2021. You can read the findings of the consultation in full (pdf format, 3.5Mb).

A member-delegated decision was made to take option two and develop it into a signalised junction with additional provision for safe cycling.

Further changes were incorporated following a review of the scheme in 2022 and additional stakeholder engagement in 2023. The change of design was approved at a cabinet member delegated decision meeting in October 2023.

As we have worked on the design, we have used consultation and planning application feedback, technical assessments and data modelling, safety reports, and a cost review to inform our thinking. We also considered council policies.

Why was the design changed?

Emerging cost pressures led to a review of the scheme in 2022. The scope of the work changed, and we revisited the design to reflect this. The current design should save money and have a reduced impact on the surrounding land, while maintaining features such as segregated cycleways and crossings.

How is the current design different from the old design?

The current design increases the vehicular capacity of the junction to a similar level as options one and two from the original consultation, includes segregated cycleways and crossings that are an improvement on the existing provision, and has a reduced impact on the surrounding land, as we do not plan to widen the highway as much as originally planned. This avoids the potential requirement for compulsory purchase orders and expensive delays which could lead to funding expiring.

The design is compliant with guidance and two road safety audits have taken place.

What safety improvements will be made for cyclists?

Buffer zones between the cycle track and the carriageway have been incorporated on the north-western section which is a key area of vulnerability where traffic turns and where we expect most cyclists to travel.

The speed limit will also be reduced from 40mph to 30mph on all arms of the junction. 

When was planning permission granted?

Planning permission was granted in November 2021 for a signalised junction to replace the existing roundabout. We submitted a follow-up Section 73 application in 2023 to take account of minor changes required.

What engagement have you done?

We have used consultation feedback, planning application feedback and conversations with community representatives to help us make decisions as we developed these improvements. 

In 2021 we held a public consultation on three options for the redesigned roundabout. Further engagement took place with members and a community cycling group, including a June 2021 meeting with councillors.

Throughout 2023, we met with local interest groups as we finalised the current design.

An engagement event to provide information on the scheme was held for residents on 4 October 2023 to:

• provide residents with an update on the progress of the scheme’s design
• to explain the rationale behind the decisions made along with results from the modelling that supported the decision to deliver a signalised junction over a roundabout
• to explain how the construction phase will be delivered and how traffic will be managed during the works
• and answer any queries they may have on the design and construction process

We held a second event on 28 February 2024 to provide information on:

• the construction phases
• traffic management used
• and how we have responded to feedback and mitigated issues on site

We have also engaged with various disability and access groups, local horse-riding societies and some local businesses.

How will you mitigate the environmental impact in the area?

The construction will be delivered in line with a Section 61 agreement – a formal agreement about how the work and its impact will be managed – reached between Cherwell District Council, Oxfordshire County Council and our contractor.

Vibrations: We don’t expect vibration to have an impact. This was assessed through ground investigation works.

Traffic congestion: A traffic and pedestrian management plan was produced and reviewed as part of the planning process. Our contractor assessed and mitigated the risks associated with the movement of vehicles, large machinery, and pedestrians (both site workers and members of the public) around the site.

Light pollution: We plan to install enough temporary lights to ensure the safety of road users is not compromised. We will maintain existing lighting levels around the junction and will not increase the light levels at night. Any flood lights installed in the compound will be angled down to limit light pollution.

How will you mitigate noise and air pollution in the area?

We will ensure that all tools are fitted with silencers and additional machinery and equipment are positioned furthest away from areas where the public could be affected and behind noise barriers. Noise will be reduced through planning, using quieter equipment, using anti-vibration mounts, training, and communication of and with the workforce. In addition to this, a noise monitoring system will be used to evaluate how our activities affect the surroundings.

To mitigate dust and air pollution, we will choose pre-made construction materials to reduce on-site activities. We will also use dust suppression equipment during the works.

Will there be enough space for cyclists, people with pushchairs, and people using wheelchairs or mobility aids to pass through during construction?

Yes, two metres of space will be provided and protected by barriers during construction.

Why did our plans for phase two of construction change?

We listened to feedback about phase one of construction and reassessed our plans for phase two. The assessment showed us that changing the traffic management by opening Fringford Road and adding a fifth traffic signal to the traffic management arrangement would cause more disruption. This is becausean onsite officer would find it difficult to oversee five-way signals efficiently. More traffic will also travel through the roundabout in phase two.

As a result, Fringford Road will remain closed to drivers until the end of July 2024 and the existing four-way traffic signal arrangement overseen by an onsite officer will remain in place.

What about the footpath?

The Fringford Road footway and pavement will now be opening for pedestrians and cyclists at the end of May and not in the first full week of May. This is because the footpath and carriageway on Southwold Lane is yet to be completed. Our contractor has advised it will not be safe to allow access to the footpath along Fringford Road during this task because there is no safe way for pedestrians or cyclists to cross.

Before the Fringford Road footpath opens, pedestrians will still have access via the bridleway and the existing diversion of Skimmingdish Lane and Buckingham Road.

When the Fringford Road footway and pavement is open to pedestrians and cyclists the bridleway will be closed.

Does this mean less work will be done in phase two?

We still plan to remove the existing roundabout and islands and widen the southbound approach of the B4100.

Will the construction site increase in size?

The northern part of the works area on the Banbury Road (B4100) will still be extended as planned, but the A4095 area of work will decrease in size. Overall the construction site will remain roughly the same as in phase one.