Improving Safety on Barrow Road

Oxfordshire County Councillor James Plumb arranged an on-site meeting at Barrow Road on 21 August, bringing together local residents, Parish Councillors and Oxfordshire County Council officers to look at longstanding road and pedestrian safety concerns.

Cllr Plumb was joined by members of St Helen Without Parish Council, a Barrow Road resident, and Oxfordshire County Council officers Lee Turner, from the Traffic & Road Safety team, and his colleague Rose.

The visit provided an opportunity to walk the road together, discuss its history of safety concerns and look first-hand at the particular challenges presented by this narrow stretch of road. These include limited space for pedestrians, sections where two vehicles can struggle to pass comfortably, and historic stone walls which restrict the scope for conventional highway improvements.

Pedestrian safety

A key focus of the visit was pedestrian safety, particularly around Church Farm and the Old Manor entrance, where the group identified a significant pinch point.

Possible options discussed included a priority traffic arrangement and the potential for a virtual footway, creating a more clearly defined space for pedestrians where construction of a conventional pavement may not be possible.

Similar schemes elsewhere in Oxfordshire, including Grove Road in Harwell and Station Road in Goring, could provide useful examples when considering what might work on Barrow Road.

Gathering the evidence

Although relatively little traffic passed during the site visit, everyone recognised that this was only a snapshot and may not reflect normal conditions.

Lee Turner therefore suggested that an automatic tube traffic survey should be carried out to provide up-to-date evidence of traffic volumes and movements on Barrow Road.

The Parish Council is also expecting to receive traffic data previously gathered by Glanville in connection with the wider Dalton Barracks development. This can be considered alongside the new survey information and shared with Oxfordshire County Council.

What happens next?

Once the traffic data is available, the Parish Council will continue working with Cllr Plumb and Oxfordshire County Council to explore what practical improvements could be made.

One option could be a trial priority scheme around the Church Farm section of Barrow Road, potentially forming the basis of a future funding application. Reflective marker posts near Church Farm barns were also discussed as a relatively simple measure that could help protect the verge and historic stone wall.

The site visit was a positive step towards finding a practical solution for Barrow Road. The Parish Council will keep residents updated as the traffic data becomes available and discussions with Oxfordshire County Council progress.