Witney: A40 Bypass - proposed 'Access to Witney' Traffic Improvements

We're asking for your views on the proposal to introduce a number of traffic measures in order to help facilitate the delivery of the 'Access to Witney' improvement scheme which will see the construction of new west-facing slip roads at the A40/B4022 Shores Green junction. Specifically, these include:

1. A new 60mph speed limit on the A40 Witney bypass (and various lengths on the ‘on’ & ‘off’ slip roads accessing the B4022 Oxford Hill & ‘Hill Farm Livery Yard’),
2. New 40mph speed limits on adjoining roads, including the B4022 Oxford Hill, High Cogges Road, South Leigh Road, and various lengths on the ‘on’ & ‘off’ slip roads accessing the A40 Witney bypass,
3. A new ‘No Entry’ restriction will be introduced on the A40 Eastbound off-slip road at its junction with the B4022 Oxford Hill, and the South Leigh No Entry onto the A40 westbound off-slip also formalised, and
4. ‘Clearway’ restrictions (stopping prohibited at all times) will be introduced on the new A40 Eastbound off-slip & Westbound on-slip roads servicing the B4022 Oxford Hill and access to South Leigh.

The Access to Witney project seeks to improve access between Witney and the A40 as part of the Oxfordshire County Council Witney Transport Strategy. The principal aims of the project are to:

• Give residents and drivers more choices, particularly those wanting to access the A40, and enable local and through traffic to access the A40 without needing to travel through the town centre or use the A40/Ducklington Lane junction,
• Reduce congestion and improve air quality in central Witney, including on Bridge Street and in the Air Quality Management Area,
• Provide new walking and cycling paths and crossings facilities on the B4022 and alongside the A40 that will provide improved and safer connections between South Leigh, High Cogges and Witney and to the shared path along the A40 to Oxford, and
• Support the delivery of planned housing growth in Witney as set out the West Oxfordshire Local Plan 2031

Further information on the wider 'Access to Witney' scheme can be found here.

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 15 May 2026.

Whilst we will endeavor 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 June 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.