PROPOSALS to build a new roundabout in Bicester have been approved, with plans to hold a consultation on reducing the 50mph speed limit on one of the approaches.

The roundabout is to be built in the south of the town at the Pioneer Road T-junction on the A41 Aylesbury Road.

It will have four arms in total; the eastern and western arms of the A41; the northern arm to serve the future development at Wretchwick Green; and the southern arm to provide access to the Graven Hill development.

Cherwell District Council’s planning committee deferred their decision last month because of concerns that the existing 50mph speed limit between Rodney House roundabout and this new one would not be safe.

After a review by Oxfordshire County Council Highways, it was proposed that a reduction to 40mph would be considered.

Joy White from the county council said: “Even when the developments are both built out, you can see from the masterplan that they are well setback from the road with no direct driveway accesses or sideways turnings on that stretch.

“So the county council can’t really take that any further with recommendation of a 30mph limit.

“We are however considering a 40mph limit and it is expected we will be consulting on a change to 40mph on this stretch of the A41 early next year."

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Bicester Bike Users Group (Bicester BUG) requested cycling and pedestrian upgrades along the A41 between Rodney House roundabout and the new roundabout.

Oxford Mail:

Paul Troop from Bicester BUG said: "When we've got a large roundabout with such a fast speed, we can't expect people to walk along it and cycle.

"There's plenty of space to put a cycle route along it. To be fair, the council did try and look at different designs but the solution I think is to start looking at these things earlier."

The county council said an alternative cycling and pedestrian route is available within the Graven Hill development nearby that people can use instead.

Councillor Richard said this was a ‘cop out’ by both the council and developers.

He said in the meeting: “I’m disappointed and I find it difficult to believe that the proposal to build the path cannot be done.

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“I think it’s passing the buck and pretending there isn’t a problem when you know full well there is. Saying ‘well there are other cycle paths, you can go round the long way’ is not really a solution. It is a cop out on the path of both the developers and highways."

The new roundabout will unlock land for three thousand more homes under the Bicester Garden Town project.