Campaigners and County Council candidates Mocky Khan (Didcot South) and Laura Greatrex (Didcot West) are urging the County Council to address the congestion on Hitchcock Way by widening this short stretch of road into two lanes. Congestion builds when shoppers queue to turn right into the Orchard Centre, blocking those going straight ahead. Despite being only a short stretch of road it is a traffic pinch point, causing frequent jams that tail back past the railway station. This leads to delays to buses and car users, generates fumes from idling vehicles, and presents a safety concern, as drivers heading straight on to Jubilee Way roundabout mount the pavement in frustration to get past the queues for the car park.
The issue of congestion on Hitchcock Way has been consistently identified for improvement by local residents in multiple community consultations - in 2016/17, again in summer 2022, and then again in June 2023. Yet the current Lib Dem / Green County Council administration has not brought forward a solution that works for all road users. The County Council ignored the needs of private car users and only presented solutions for cyclists, pedestrians and wheelers in the Didcot Central Corridor project.
Labour is the only party aiming to improve access and safety for all road users in Didcot. Labour
District & Town Councillor Mocky Khan says, “One of the top issues we’re hearing about on the doorstep is the congestion in Didcot town centre and how frustrating it is for drivers to sit in traffic on Hitchcock Way. That’s why we’re standing up for local residents and asking for the road to be widened to two lanes as a priority, to alleviate the congestion.”
Oxfordshire County Council candidate for Didcot West Laura Greatrex adds, “It really isn’t that
difficult to see what needs to be done, yet the Liberal Democrat councils are ignoring the voices of residents. Why haven’t they considered a solution that works for private cars, and why has it taken them so long to bring about the changes Didcot deserves? The current situation isn’t just causing delays and congestion. It’s dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists too.“
Sign the petition to widen Hitchcock Way to allow for two lanes by clicking the link below. This simple change will help ease congestion and improve traffic flow in Didcot.
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