Oxfordshire County Council has pledged “firm action” against Scottish and Southern Electricity Network for the closing an A40 slip road without street works permits being approved.

Having closed at Marston on July 7 and expected to remain shut until December 2027, the work has resulted in traffic disruption in nearby villages Elsfield and Woodeaton.

A40 slip road at Marston (Image: OCC)

As highways authority, the council has vowed to issue fines and other fees against the company for the unauthorised closure.

By failing to obtain the necessary permit and working outside the agreed statutory process, the council accused SSEN of preventing it from managing the wider impact of the roadworks to minimise disruption.

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Tim Bearder, leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: “It’s completely unacceptable that they did this unilaterally and without agreement.

“We, as highways authority, need to agree and schedule roadworks in a planned and considered way and I will be challenging this company about why this happened.

“It has caused immense disruption to residents who have seen heavy goods vehicles, double decker buses and a huge amount of traffic diverted on to a single-track road through their tiny villages.

A40 slip road at Marston (Image: OCC)

“This must not happen again, and we will be making that perfectly clear to the utility company involved while also making sure that this work is completed as soon as possible.”

Oxfordshire County Council has taken formal enforcement action in relation to the permit breach.

A fixed penalty notice has been issued in accordance with national regulations – the highest level of penalty ordinarily available for this category of permit offence.

In May, the council’s lane rental scheme came into force – a system which allows it to charge companies up to £2,500 per day for working on the busiest roads at peak traffic times.

As the work took place on a designated lane rental road during periods where charging applies, the firm is now facing fees of around £60,000.

Council officers will continue discussions with SSEN to ensure that “appropriate improvements” are made and that a similar situation does not arise again.

SSEN has been approached for a comment.

It is understood the company has acknowledged that the business undertook work without a permit.

Workmen have been tasked with replacing overhead lines with underground cable to improve supply reliability.

Grand Village Imperial, in unit E4 on Kelso Road in Bicester, was given the low food hygiene rating after a visit by inspectors in June.

But Raymond Chu, the owner of the Chinese restaurant, said the score does not accurately reflect the standards the restaurant maintains and they are appealing the process.

Mr Chu said they “also concerned that the inspection may not have been conducted impartially” and that the score is “unfair”.

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The Lion Dance at the Grand Village Imperial in Bicester (Image: David Chu)

He said: “As our appeal has already been submitted and is currently awaiting a response, we understand that the hygiene rating should not have been published until the appeal process has been concluded.”

Indeed on the government website it confirms that if a business appeals the rating within 21 days, the council should not publish it online.

The restaurant was told improvement was necessary in hygienic food handling and the cleanliness and conditions of the building.

Bicester Village (Image: Contributed)

The business was also told major improvement was necessary in the management of food safety.

This means the systems or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.

The business is a beloved part of the shopping centre with customers regularly advising shoppers to book in advance and highlighting the fantastic service, food, and generous portions of food.

The warning has been issued for people and pets not to enter the water at Oxford’s University Parks after a bright green algae bloom appeared on its surface.

One local, Angela Mills Wade, said the algae was ‘almost fluorescent’ and recommended pet owners ‘heed the warnings’.

One local described the colour of the algae on the water as ‘almost fluorescent’ (Image: Angela Mills Wade)

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She said: “Many people see this and think it’s ugly. I see something rather different.

“It’s a natural seasonal phenomenon, part of the river’s changing cycle, even if it only lasts for a short time.

“We often celebrate nature when it’s neat and picturesque, but it’s just as fascinating when it’s messy, fleeting and simply doing what ecosystems have always done.”

She shared images from University Parks in South Parks Road, whose waterways had a blanket of bright green algae making its surfaces appear solid.

Algae bloom in University Parks (Image: Angela Mills Wade)

A notice displayed in the park by the University of Oxford’s parks department said: “Please be aware that there is currently an algal bloom in the river caused by the recent dry weather conditions.

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“This may be harmful to humans and pets so it is advisable NOT to enter the water or allow your dogs to do so until further notice.

“Thank you for your understanding.”

Harmful algae blooms can occur when there is an excess of nutrients in the water – caused by a number of sources, such as agricultural run-off or sewage pollution – along with warm water temperatures and calm or stagnant conditions.