A programme of improvements to make Witney High Street and Market Square safer and more accessible will begin in early May, introducing wider, higher-quality footways, better crossing points and a more welcoming public realm that supports existing traffic arrangements.

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport Management, said: "The Witney High Street project makes effective use of the town centre space to accommodate multiple users. It has developed over a long period of time, with several rounds of consultation and construction is due to start in May."

Construction is scheduled to run from early May 2026 to November 2026 and will be delivered in phases. Works will start on the western side of the High Street, during which traffic will be restricted to southbound movements only. The programme will then switch to the eastern side, when traffic on the High Street and Market Square between the Corn Street and Welch Way junctions will be northbound only.

Key features include new seating areas, trees and planting. Approximately 2,000m2 of existing footways will be resurfaced and more than 1,000m2 of additional footway space created. Ten marked disabled persons' parking places are being added, with flexible loading arrangements for town centre businesses.

-- Advertisement --

Public transport and taxi access are also being enhanced, with a new additional bus stop for community transport. Taxi access will be permitted in the shared space after 5pm on weekdays and after 2pm on Saturdays, and a 16-metre taxi bay will be available at all times. A new traffic priority layout at the High Street/Welch Way junction, including a central island to aid cyclists making right turns, is designed to make road users' intentions clearer and improve safety.

Safe pedestrian and wheelchair/mobility-aided access, along with access to shops, food outlets and businesses, will be maintained throughout the works.

Where necessary during specific phases, some bus stops will be temporarily relocated to Langdale Gate and Welch Way, and the taxi rank will move to outside The Angel Inn on Market Square. There may be short periods when certain loading areas and disabled persons' parking places on the High Street and by the Market Square are unavailable, with alternative loading arrangements communicated to businesses and regular updates provided.

Shoppers can continue to use the Woolgate car park near the Market Square and Marriott's Walk. A works compound will be established in Zone G of the Woolgate car park, with long-stay bays relocated to nearby areas within the site.

In the final phase, automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will be installed to reduce the number of non-exempt motor vehicles passing through the restrictions on the High Street and Market Square.

Residents can view the final designs and find out more about the construction programme at a drop-in information event on Wednesday 29 April, 2pm – 7pm, at the Witney Corn Exchange. Background details and plans showing temporary relocations during the works are available on the council's Let's talk Oxfordshire platform.