After the public meeting organised by Cllr Roz Smith in December (see my report) the County transport planner has released more details of the revised scheme which will go out for consultation. You can read the statement on @RuthWilk’s website.

The key features are:

• an inbound bus lane around the outside of the roundabout from the A40 into the A420 London Road as far as a relocated first bus stop.
• no further inbound bus lane provided and the existing outbound bus lane unchanged.
• limited road widening needed, but only for a short distance to the east of Northfield Road.

To my great disappointment there’s nothing about improving provision for cyclists or pedestrians along this stretch of the main road. The statement even says the scheme “minimises the impact on cyclists and pedestrians”. In other words, “we shan’t be doing anything for them”.

Cyclists on the cycle track on the north (Bury Knowle) side of the road have to weave their way past lamp-posts, road sign posts, trees and a bus stop. Westbound (inbound) cyclists have a choice of the busy road and then a bus lane or an unmarked shared pedestrian and cycle path again with a variety of obstacles.

It seems the growing movement to give higher priority to designing roads and streets with cycling in mind hasn’t got through to Oxfordshire transport planners yet. Which gives me the opportunity to share this article showing some innovative thinking about bicycles and bus stops (with thanks to @ParadiseOxford for the original link).