The most pressing transport issue facing Witney is traffic congestion on Bridge Street and in the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). Potential solutions have been narrowed down to two options. 1. The Cogges Link Road (CLR), which would involve a new route across the Windrush or the Shores Green Alternative(SGSR) which aims to make better use of the existing A40 crossing in accordance with guidance in PPS1 and PPG13. Although the CLR is favoured by the Local Highways Authority for historical reasons, it's much greater environmental impact, cost and tendency to encourage car use when compared to the alternative means there must be considerable doubt as to whether it can now be delivered.
The Cogges Link Road Would cost at least £18.8m Would have a severe Landscape Impact, especially in the Windrush valley Would be built in the Flood Plain Would make traffic in many parts of Witney worse rather than better. Witney Lakes and Meadow Country Park with CLR
CLR crosses land covered by the Windrush in Witney Project, (Policy WIT3 of the West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2011) The project seeks to protect and enhance the Windrush Valley through Witney. The CLR will have a severe impact on the environment. The Local Plan states that 'development on land within… the Windrush in Witney Policy Area… should protect and enhance the intrinsic landscape, character, ecology and cultural value of the valley.' The CLR will not do this. The Windrush Valley in Witney is a valuable asset to the community. The CLR will slice across this beautiful area severing a significant part of it from the town, including large parts of the Witney Lake and Meadows Country Park. Those areas left will be degraded by heavy noise pollution and visual blight.. Increase in noise and presence of construction landscapes in an area of green space will reduce the amenity value of the country park. " The CLR will destroy the public open space to the south of Cogges. It will also sever the Cogges estate from Cogges Hill; Cogges estate will, in effect, become surrounded on three sides by a noisy, intrusive distributor road. Cogges will be enclosed on three sides by the CLR.. In contrast the Shores Green alternative Will have only minimal landscape impact. Will not affect the flood plain of the River Windrush Provide equal or better traffic relief for Bridge street compared to CLR. Will cost £4.1m around 1/5 the cost the Cogges Link Road. Quick Comparison Table of Cogges Link Road against Shores Green Slip Roads Feature CLR SGSR Notes Land Total land area required for delivery of scheme 255,900 m2 (25.59 ha) 81,984 m2 ( 8.2 ha) Figure for CLR taken from planning application submitted by OCC. Figure for SGSR include 1.6ha of existing A40 bed and 1.6ha of 10m construction buffer Total land area for which compulsory purchase may be required 196,285 m2 7,300 m2 Area of existing special category land (Public Open Space) lost to scheme 32,447 m2 0 (plots 5, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6, 6A, 6B, 6C and 10 as identified in CPO Order) Area of land within existing flood plain required for scheme 99,109 m2 0 (plots 1-3, 4, 4A, 4B, 5, 5A, 5B, 5C, 6, 6A, 6B, 6C, 7, 7A, 7B, 7C, 7D, 7F as identified in CPO Order) Economic Considerations Total Cost of scheme £18,880,000 £4,080,000 Taken from October 2010 OCC cabinet budget report. Carriageway maintenance cost £1,035,000 £282,000 Plus structural maintenance and culvert clearing/maintenance Construction requirements Number of bridges 2 0 Number of culverts 2 0 Number of underbridges 1 0 Length of new carriageway (m) 1,800 490 CLR figures taken from planning application and CLR EIA Area of new surfacing (carriageway and footway) 33,080 m2 10,750 m2 Traffic Impacts Pcu's movements across AQMA cordon 2026 with complimentary measures 9,000 8,750 From Traffic Model Forecasting Report Figure 3.9 SGSR as percentage of CLR flows N/A 97% Pcu's movements across Conservation Area cordon (2026) with complimentary measures 13,000 9,250 From Traffic Model Forecasting Report Figure 3.10 SGSR as percentage of CLR flows N/A 71% NOx emissions Kg/year 10,238 5,759 Figures from CLR EIA NOx emissions as percentage of Do Minimum 166% 93% Annual green house gas emissions t/year 3,168 3,103 Annual green house gas emissions t/year as percentage of Do Minimum 93% 91% Noise Number of additional properties affected by noise 510 20 CLR Figures taken from CLR EIA The Shores Green A40 Junction Upgrade is the only viable solution to the identified traffic problems. The EWLC are able to contribute to this solution by providing funds and land for its construction. For further information on our arguments please view the Cogges link Downloads page on this web site ^ Back to the top of the page