West End Link
1.4 The Bridge Street Options Report 2023
A report published in late 2023 recommends the WEL [7].
Oxfordshire County Council, with a funding contribution from West Oxfordshire District Council, commissioned an options report for alleviating traffic on Bridge Street [7]. The models and options assumed Shores Green slip roads were in place and assumed some sort of Northern Distributor road through or around the North Witney Development. The consultants took the Local Transport and Connectivity Plan 2022-2050 into account.
The report recommended a clockwise one-way, gyratory, system from Hailey Road via West End, Bridge Street and Mill Street and a 2-way West End Link connecting Hailey Road to Woodford Way. Features include:
- a bus lane on Bridge Street in the direction from Witney town centre towards Newlands, against the flow of traffic from West End.
- segregated cycle lanes against the one-way motor traffic lanes on West End and Mill Street (contraflow cyclists would use the bus lane on Bridge Street).
- segregated cycle lanes in both directions on the West End Link road.
- signalised junctions to replace mini roundabouts.
Other Oxfordshire market towns already have gyratory systems to manage traffic and congestion. This one would arguably incorporate more modern features for sustainable travel options alongside car routes.