Didcot: ‘global problems’ could see £400M spend on crossing

Council place and environment boss, Cllr Judy Roberts, confirmed that the local authority will apply to Homes England’s £79.6 million discretionary fund for the Didcot to Culham river crossing, which already has £332.538 million secured.

The new dual-carriageway bridge will connect the A4130 at Didcot with the A415 at Culham and includes a bridge over the Thames, over a rail siding and connections to Appleford and Sutton Courtney villages via the B4106 with segregated walking and cycling facilities.

This is one of three “major infrastructure projects” in the Didcot Garden Town Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF1) programme.

It aims to “relieve congestion, and support the delivery of over 12,655 new homes and significant employment growth across the Science Vale”.

At a meeting on Friday (May 1), Mrs Roberts explained: “They will give us this money, but we would have to apply for it to justify it.

“I think, given the global problems at the moment, that that is quite a good justification.”

She added: “We have had informal words that they are probably happy to do that. ”

(Image: Oxfordshire County Council)

(Image: Oxfordsshire County Council)

At that meeting, she also greenlit the awarding of a construction contract for the building of the crossing’s “central span”, which has an estimated cost of around £151 million.

The final decision on the contract lies with the council’s director of environment and highways.

The meeting heard concerns from an Appleford-on-Thames parish councillor, Greg O’Broin, who had predicted costs could rise above £400 million in August 2025.

The council previously campaigned against the HIF1 programme, but now accepts that planning permission has been given and Mr O’Broin attended to “register concerns” of the “community most affected by this scheme”.

He has described the crossing as a “fly-over” for the village, “with loss of trees, landscape damage, traffic noise and now significant disruption to the lives of persons during construction.”

Cllr Greg O’Broin, Appleford-on-Thames Parish Council (Image: Greg O’Broin)

He called the risk of overrun with the project “real”, which was a concern due to the Homes England funding ending in March 2028.

The parish council has called for greater transparency on costs, a rethink on an “unacceptable” eight-month road closure, and for traffic light infrastructure to combat “danger at a junction” of the B4016 with the crossing to help protect village children.

He said: “The council must reduce the closure period”

At the meeting, council officers agreed to share more information on estimated costs.

Mrs Roberts agreed to look into potential traffic lights in the scheme’s design and said she believes that the crossing will provide traffic relief for villages and “ancient” bridges in the area.

She also hopes that the project will run under budget.