Witney: A40 Bypass - Prohibition of Ridden horses & Horse-drawn carriages

We're asking for your views on the proposals to prohibit persons riding Horses or driving Horse-drawn carriages on the A40 dual carriageway Witney Bypass, between the Burford Road roundabout junction & the Downs Road roundabout junction.

The proposals are being put forward as a result of concerns raised by members of the public and Thames Valley Police (TVP) over reports of persons using `pony & trap carriages` on the A40 dual carriageway Witney bypass, which has resulted in West Oxfordshire District Council are undertaking a statutory consultation on the proposed introduction of a ‘Public Space Protection Order’ (PSPO).

The OCC proposals seek to complement the proposed ‘PSPO’ (details available here), and by doing so, will ensure that enforcement of the proposed restriction will be practically & legally robust, as the current activity causes major disruption to the road network and endangers both road users and the animals involved.

Have your say.

Please read the detailed information provided on this consultation and take the time to complete the survey as your views and opinions matter. Your response should be completed and returned by 5pm on Friday 19 December 2025.

Whilst we will endeavour to answer simple queries during the course of the consultation, any more complex questions/issues will be appraised and dealt with as part of consultation process.

What happens next?

The County Council will review the responses and if necessary (i.e. if objections are received) prepare a report to be presented to the Cabinet Member for Highway Management at a meeting scheduled for early in 2026. This will be public meeting at which members of the public may apply to speak. The agenda and reports for meetings will be made available on the Oxfordshire County Council web site about a week before the meeting (please note that occasionally it is necessary to defer reports to a later meeting, and it is therefore advisable to check the agenda ahead of attending a meeting). The Forward Plan of decisions meetings can be viewed here.