Residents on an estate in Witney are set to benefit from long-awaited drainage improvement works designed to tackle persistent flooding that has affected the area for years.
Oxfordshire County Council will carry out drainage works on Buttercross Lane between 03 and 28 August, with the road closed from its junction with Willowbank while engineers complete the project.
Because Buttercross Lane provides the only vehicular access for residents, special traffic management measures will be in place throughout the works. Marshals will oversee the movement of vehicles and pedestrians, while one side of the carriageway will remain open whenever it is safe to do so.
The council says the scheme is intended to resolve a long-standing drainage problem that has repeatedly led to flooding during periods of heavy rainfall.
Councillor Liz Leffman, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways Construction and Repair, said residents had endured the issue for too long.
She said the flooding resulted from inadequate maintenance carried out by the original developer before the road was adopted by the county council as the highways authority.
Councillor Leffman said council officers had worked to develop what she described as a complex solution and that, once complete, the improvements should significantly reduce the risk of flooding during heavy rain.
She also warned that although marshals would be available throughout the works, there may be occasions when immediate access through the site is not possible.
Residents and visitors are being asked to be patient while the project is carried out.
Ahead of construction, survey work will identify the depth of underground utility services beneath the road. This preliminary work could also result in temporary delays for those needing to access the estate.
Advance warning signs will be installed at the junction of Station Lane and Buttercross Lane two weeks before construction begins.
During the project, temporary ramps will be fitted along the kerb line to help larger vehicles travel through the site when required. These movements will be supervised by marshals.
Overnight barriers will also be installed while work is underway, although a single lane will remain available to allow residents to enter and leave Buttercross Lane.
The council expects the improvements to provide a more reliable drainage system and reduce disruption caused by flooding in the future.
