Oxfordshire: Reduced speed limit proposed to make road 40mph

Oxfordshire County Council is asking for comments on a suggested 40mph speed limit between Long Hanborough and Bladon, the final resting place of wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

The proposals for the A4095 have been put forward to help improve road safety on local roads, supported by Bladon and Hanborough councillors.

Speed surveys, allegedly taken by the council, have shown the 40mph is more appropriate for the road.

The A4095 Main Road was the site of a serious crash last June, with emergency services in attendance at the time.

These proposals form part of the wider ‘Vision Zero’ road speed limit review.

The council has confirmed further consultations on speed limit amendments, including other sections of the A4095.

No further amendments are proposed for the road between Bladon and Witney at this time.

The consultation will run until Friday, July 3, with anyone open to complete the survey in this time.

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The A4095, Main Road, in Long Hanborough (Image: Google Maps)

Cabinet approved funding of up to £8m to deliver 20mph, meaning implementing schemes comes at no cost to town or parish councils in February 2022.

The number of people killed or seriously injured (KSI) on Oxfordshire roads in 2025 fell by 18 per cent to 213 according to data by the Department for Transport.

In comparison, KSIs in the Thames Valley Police area rose 20 per cent in 2025 after a record low in 2024. KSIs across Great Britain rose four per cent, but people killed reduced by three per cent.

Oxfordshire County Council leader Tim Bearder said: “While these figures are still provisional, the early signs are extremely encouraging. Oxfordshire appears to be bucking the wider Thames Valley trend, with serious and fatal casualties falling significantly at a time when neighbouring areas are seeing increases.

“That strongly suggests the approach we have taken in Oxfordshire is working.

“We have made a conscious decision as a county to take speed seriously because lower speeds save lives, reduce the severity of injuries, and make our communities safer and healthier places to live.”

Tim Bearder (Image: Isabella Harris/NQ)

Councillor Gareth Epps (Image: Councillor Gareth Epps)

Councillor Gareth Epps, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport management, said: “The reduction in people killed or seriously injured on Oxfordshire’s roads is hugely important.

“Behind every statistic is a real person, a family and a community affected by road collisions.

“Although these figures are provisional, they provide further evidence that our safety measures, including 20mph schemes and wider traffic calming initiatives, are having a positive effect.”