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.”

The temporary closure of the Botley Road walkway (Image: Contributed)

 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.

Amanda Suliman-Bell of Rainbow & Spoon boutique in Oxford (Image: Andy Ffrench)

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.