Botley Bridge replacement delays lead to Traffic Filters delay

Network Rail were not in a position to do the deck replacement work on Botley Bridge in the planned weekend in July (when the lines had been allocated for closure), so will not be able to meet their deadline of October this year for reopening Botley Road. The length of the delay hasn't yet been announced, but the traffic filter scheme has been put on hold until further notice.

You can read Network Rail's statement here, and the County Council's statement here.

It is incredibly frustrating that the Council's measures to reduce congestion and pollution and improve bus journeys in Oxford is being delayed once again by factors outside its control. The traffic filters scheme, Workplace Parking Levy and ZEZ were all due to be implemented between 2021-2023 - see the County Council's Connecting Oxford brochure published in 2019, with the plan first emerging in 2015.

Many Headington residents were looking forward to quicker bus journeys into town thanks to the filters on St. Clement's Street and St. Cross Road, as well as new and improved bus routes serving Headington thanks to the filters on Hollow Way and Marston Ferry Road. (See ourHeadington to benefit from new bus services thanks to traffic filters article for further details.)

Unfortunately it seems we will have to live with the same or worsening traffic jams and unreliable bus services until the Traffic Filters are eventually (if ever) implemented, unless drivers voluntarily decide en masse to make fewer journeys by car.