Council leaders back controversial bypass funding
BBCPlans for a bypass that were first proposed more than 50 years ago have moved a step closer, after a local authority's leadership approved part of it's funding.
Oxfordshire County Council's cabinet approved its draft budget for the upcoming year, which includes £11m for its Watlington relief road proposal.
MP for the area Freddie van Mierlo praised the decision as "delivering on a scheme that has been promised for far too long".
But campaigners against the relief road plans have called on the full council to block the funding when it votes on the budget in February.
Under the £19m proposals, the new road would provide access to the B4009 from either side of Watlington, without the need to travel through the town centre.
The plans for the road, which was first suggested in the early 1970s, were officially submitted last year, with a public consultation ending in December.
Liberal Democrat MP Mr Van Mierlo, who also represents Chalgrove and Watlington on the county council, said: "There are over 500 new houses, across four sites around Watlington and further significant developments in Chalgrove, Wallingford and Benson."
All of these new developments, Mr van Mierlo said, had been signed off by South Oxfordshire District Council on the understanding that the relief road would be delivered.
"The residents of Watlington and everyone who visits or travels through the streets of the historic centre realise that traffic from more than 500 additional new homes driving through the already polluted and congested streets would be totally unacceptable," he added.
Campaign group, Oxfordshire Roads Action Alliance has written to every member of the county council to ask that they vote against the funding proposed for the relief road.
In a statement, it said they should "carefully consider value for money, given the very large sums of public money, for a very expensive road and what benefits it would deliver for the county's residents".
It said there should be investment in roads elsewhere in Oxfordshire.
"At a time when money is scarce, any money spent on roads should be spent on fixing their dire state and filling the many pot holes," it added.
The latest update comes just weeks after a government's Active Travel England agency recommended the proposals be deferred due to insufficient provisionfor walking and cycling.
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