Oxford News
Botley Road unannounced walkway closure angers residents
Botley Road was closed at the rail bridge in April 2023 by Network Rail and was expected to reopen on August 31 following repeated delays – initially the road was only expected to be shut for `12 months.
Roadworks have been taking place in Botley Road as part of a major Network Rail scheme to revamp Oxford station – so far construction work has cost an estimated £237m.
READ MORE: New walkway paves the way for Botley Road announcement
The reopening of the road was postponed until September 20 following the discovery of a gas leak.
A new wider walkway linking Botley Road and Frideswide Square opened last month but it has been shut for short periods so that vital work can take place.
A new rail bridge was lowered into place in February and the new southern walkway has replaced a temporary walkway on the other side of the road. A new northern walkway has not yet been completed.
The closure today lasted only about 10 minutes but the lack of warning upset residents.
Jennifer Brooker from Oxford said: “That the footpath had to be temporarily closed, no-one disputed.
“The reason for the closure was that a massive concrete beam was swaying over the area as it was being lowered into place. No-one in charge of the operation seemed to have thought through the consequences for the public or put adequate mitigating measures in place.
“Several members of the public had expressed themselves quite forcibly and demanded to speak with the project manager. A backlog of pedestrians unable or unwilling to use the diversionary route was building up.
“Eventually, before the project manager arrived, the beam-placing operation was paused, and the barrier opened to let people through. I do not know if the barrier was closed behind us, to let the operation continue.”
A Network Rail spokesperson said: “The pedestrian walkway at Botley Road was temporarily closed for approximately 10 minutes at around 9.20am today to allow the crane operator to safely lift a collision protection beam.
“Because the lift passed over the southern walkway, a short temporary closure was required to ensure the safety of pedestrians. The walkway was reopened as soon as the beam had been safely positioned.
“We appreciate the public’s patience while this essential operation was carried out safely.”
The walkway linking Botley Road and Frideswide Square has been rerouted on numerous occasions since 2023 to accommodate contractors’ work.
Traders in Frideswide Square said footfall was significantly reduced when the walkway was diverted away from their businesses.
Amanda Suliman-Bell, who runs Rainbow & Spoon boutique, has lobbied for better treatment for traders throughout the Botley Road closure.
Signs have been put up in the square reminding shoppers that shops and restaurants remain open.
The latest walkway does take pedestrians close to their shopfronts.
OXFORD Mail Camera Club members have been taking photos of their dogs
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The collision happened on the southbound carriageway between Junction 6 for Lewknor and Junction 5 for Watlington in the late morning on Saturday, August 29.
The emergency services attended the scene and closed the road,
National Highways said lanes two and three of the three-lane motorway were shut as a result while crews dealt with the incident, leading to delays of around 40 minutes.
Congestion was worsened by separate lane closures between Junctions 4 and 5 in both directions following damage to the central reservation from an earlier incident.
Traffic built up on approaches to the crash, with nearby areas including Stokenchurch and Lewknor also affected.
Images from traffic cameras showed long queues of vehicles and emergency workers at the scene throughout the afternoon.
AA Travel also reported that one lane was closed on the northbound carriageway between Handy Cross and Stokenchurch due to emergency repairs.
National Highways later confirmed that all southbound lanes between Junctions 6 and 5 had reopened and that the lane closures linked to the earlier incident were also being removed.
Despite the reopening, delays of around 40 minutes remained on the approach as traffic slowly returned to normal.
The closure affects the route between the A420 and Coxwell Road near Great Coxwell to allow for carriageway widening and the construction of a new signal-controlled junction.
The closure, in effect 24 hours a day, will begin on September 7, 2026, and is expected to remain in place until April 16, 2027.
An alternative route will be signposted via the A420, London Street, Coxwell Street, and Coxwell Road.
The order, issued by Oxfordshire County Council under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, will remain in force for up to 18 months if necessary.
Exemptions are included for emergency vehicles, and signage will be in place to advise drivers of the closure.
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