Traffic chaos in Didcot as major month-long roadworks start

Manor Bridge, which goes over the railway line on the A4130 Northern Perimeter Road in Didcot will be shut in one direction at a time over a month-long period, from March 2 until March 28. It will shut to traffic travelling northbound for the first two weeks and then be closed for two weeks southbound, to allow for major roadworks from Oxfordshire County Council[1] to repair crash barriers. District and county councillor Ian Snowdon, Conservative, has been working to give advanced warning of the closure and lessen traffic strain in the town.

Councillor Ian Snowdon at Manor Bridge on the Northern Perimeter Road, due to be affected by the closure (Image: Ed Nix) He said: "Didcot is already massively congested, and the diversion going past the Aldi carpark, the train station which is so busy and then further to get past the bridge is going to be a nightmare." "It's a huge win to have half of the bridge open, it's going to make a massive difference." The councillor explained his biggest concern is about HGV traffic from distribution centres and industrial site which use the road to get to the A34, avoiding Didcot.

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The councillor approached business centre Milton Park and struck a deal for lorries to use its private roads to reach the A34 in exchange for a donation to Didcot Powerhouse Fund, which supports local charities.

HGV drivers who want to avoid the congested route can contact Cllr Snowdon to give him their details and vehicle registration and gain temporary access to the private roads from the Milton Heights Roundabout, along Park Drive to the A34. He added that Didcot has "looked like its still celebrating Christmas" with so many temporary traffic lights recently, and said the planning from the county council "has left a lot to be desired. Business owner Amanda Elderfield, who has run South Oxon Pet Services for nearly 13 years out of Ladygrove and does door-to-door pet care, said she's "just had enough" of the traffic.

She said: "It really impacts our business that we're unable to get around without getting caught in traffic - we're losing hours of our day to it. "We're late for clients which impacts pets, and we'll keep going until we've seen the last one, so that means we're working really long days. We just can't sustain it."

Ms Edlerfield said businesses are being driven away from the town by "constant" multiple roadworks. "At the moment, running a business is extremely difficult, and every penny matters," she said. "But we're burning through more petrol, and I'm having to turn down business because I don't have time, especially if they're further away. "It's not just me, there's a network of us who are finding it so hard every day.

Business are leaving, moving away or cutting down clients.

"It impacts us mentally, it's stressful, and we have to battle it everyday.

We've just had enough"

References

1. ^ Oxfordshire County Council (www.oxfordshire.gov.uk)
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4. ^ pic.twitter.com/P1HP2Jq3zl (t.co)
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