A34 to close at Botley Interchange due to gasworks
Gas network company SGN will start work to upgrade the local gas supply network on Friday, November 3 and it will last approximately two weeks and be carried out in two phases.
This comes as city traders claim they have been hit by “a perfect storm of disruption” as overlapping construction works continue at both ends of Botley Road.
Roadworks at the Botley Interchange are still on schedule to finish in March while Botley Road works will last until October 2024.
Both southbound carriageways on the A34 near Botley will be closed on Friday, November 3 at 8pm to allow for work in the carriageway until 5am on Monday November 6.
A signed diversion route will be in place via A34, A40 and Eastern Bypass.
In the second phase, from Tuesday, November 7 until Sunday, November 12 the southbound closure will be reduced to one lane.
A spokesperson said the work will “hopefully not affect gas supply” and advised road users to allow additional time for your journey and make sure any deliveries or visitors are aware of the closures that may affect them.
SGN Project Manager Bob Taylor said: “We’ve worked closely with the local authorities in planning this work and we will be doing everything we can to limit disruption during our essential project.
“We appreciate that roadworks can be frustrating, however, the new plastic pipe has a minimum lifespan of 80 years.
"This means once the work has been completed, Botley and Oxford[2] homes and businesses will enjoy the benefits of a continued safe and reliable gas supply for many years to come.”
A National Highways spokesperson, said: “It’s vital that structures on National Highways’ motorways and major A-roads are kept in good condition to make sure they remain safe, reliable, and keep traffic moving.
“We continue to make good progress on our essential bridge repairs on the A34 Botley interchange to keep the structure safe and secure.
“We understand living near a busy construction site is never easy and try our best to be a good neighbour. We thank the residents near the A34 at Wytham for bearing with us while we complete this vital work.”
In the eyes of some business owners, the traffic misery caused by closing Botley Road at the rail bridge has been compounded by the start of roadworks at Botley Interchange on the edge of Oxford[5].
Since April, when Network Rail closed the eastern end of Botley Road for improvements to Oxford rail station, motorists have been forced to use the A34 to access Botley Road.
But those using that diversion now face further difficulty.
Last month, National Highways began roadworks at the Botley Interchange, the roundabout used by traffic coming off the A34 towards Botley Road.
At times, it has caused severe congestion, with some commuters stuck in jams of up to five hours.
A spokesperson for National Highways, which will continue work at Botley Interchange until March, apologised for the congestion and said it was taking “additional measures to minimise disruption.”
Network Rail has urged impacted business owners to get in touch.
References
- ^ Flood alert issued for Oxfordshire by Environment Agency (www.oxfordmail.co.uk)
- ^ Oxford (www.oxfordmail.co.uk)
- ^ 'Vital' interchange scheme between (www.oxfordmail.co.uk)
- ^ Abingdon (www.oxfordmail.co.uk)
- ^ Oxford (www.thisisoxfordshire.co.uk)