Watlington’s Decades-Long Bypass Debate Nears Resolution

In 1971, Charles Maine, who was then the head of Watlington Parish Council’s Highways Committee, informed BBC Oxford about the continuous effort to construct a bypass around the Oxfordshire market town. He stated, “[The traffic is] really very bad indeed, and we have a continual increase – it seems to be getting heavier and heavier all the time.” Over five decades later, the prospect of a relief road is more imminent than ever, as Oxfordshire County Council’s (OCC) plans for the proposed route have been officially submitted, and a public consultation is scheduled to commence. According to the proposals, the new road would facilitate access to the B4009 from both sides of Watlington, eliminating the necessity for vehicles to pass through the town centre. A resident of Watlington expressed that the absence of a ring road was “killing the town,” describing the current situation as “like a war zone.” Another individual commented, “The traffic’s an issue – it’s a great market town, I’ve lived here for 20 plus years and it’s got busier tenfold so something needs to be done about it.” This person further stated that failure to construct the relief road would “destroy” the town. Presently, numerous drivers in south Oxfordshire are required to traverse the town centre directly to access the M40 or A34. Judy Roberts, who serves as the cabinet member for infrastructure and development strategy at OCC, remarked, “Its aim is to alleviate congestion, noise and air pollution in the town centre and enable future housing developments, by offering more sustainable modes of transport including cycling and walking.” OCC initially submitted these plans to its independent planning authority in January of this year, with a decision anticipated in May; however, that deadline was not met. OCC indicated that the “priority project” had provided supplementary information at the close of October, which means a new public consultation is scheduled to commence. The consultation is slated to begin on Thursday and will continue until 21 December. A definitive decision regarding the plans is subsequently expected in early 2025. Nevertheless, local business owners in Watlington have previously expressed apprehension about the proposals, suggesting they would lead to a reduction in footfall within the town. Loraine Daniels, who has co-owned the Bella Luce lighting shop on Watlington High Street for eight years, stated earlier this year that there was a “lot of concern” among shop proprietors in the vicinity. Ms Daniels noted that the majority of their trade originated from passing customers. She affirmed, “Absolutely without a doubt 90% of our customers come because of our windows.” Chris Church, representing the Oxfordshire Roads Action Alliance (ORAA), found it “hard” to comprehend why OCC was proceeding with a project that would “not deter car journeys” and would “undermine” the authority’s local plan. Mr Church further suggested, “They would do far better, at a time when money is scarce, to spend money on fixing the dire state of so many of our pot-holed roads.” The parish council in the nearby area of Shirburn has also deemed the plans “unnecessary,” stating that the proposed new route would evolve into a “rat run.” Recalling 1971, Charles Maine had commented, “They [the authorities] seem to be gradually coming around to our way of thinking.” Over fifty years later, it appears that some individuals remain unconvinced.