The A4095 closed week commencing 9th July For Two Weeks
While acknowledging the frustration, delays and difficulties that the current closure of the A4095 has caused, the Parish Council would request that parishioners in particular be respectful of the residents of Troy Lane and refrain from using this route as means of circumventing the road closure – it is simply not suitable for the resultant two-way traffic that is inevitable when through-traffic that has ignored the multiple road closure signs sees residents transiting Troy Lane, and potentially could result in injury to pedestrians, damage to property and further congestion. The road closure is in force for all traffic using the A4095, and does not exempt parishioners on the basis of residency in the general village area;
The Temporary Traffic Order TTRO ref. T5788 specifies:
‘Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles and for frontages within the closed section of road’ – i.e. those properties within Troy lane, only.
The current situation is far from satisfactory, however it should be remembered that this is a temporary situation and necessary to finally rectify the sewerage problems that have plagued areas of the village for many years – this in itself has taken a considerable amount of work before Thames Water would take responsibility for, and action on.
The Parish council has been in contact with both Thames Water and OCC Highways throughout the period leading up to these works, to request that the issue of Troy Lane through traffic be satisfactorily dealt with, and had been advised full closure was not possible due emergency service access – likewise ‘access only’ signage was advised as unsuitable, as encouraging the behaviour we have already seen.
Yesterday evening, the Oxfordshire County Councillor with responsibility for this Parish Council area – who has already been incredibly supporting of and instrumental in both the repairs to Church Lane, and the implementation of more effective Road Closure signage put in place during today – attended the monthly KPC meeting and has witnessed the issues first-hand. She will be following this up tomorrow to request that the OCC Highways lead make an urgent site visit to review the measures in place and / or required to best manage this situation, as it is acknowledged that the diversions are not marked clearly enough and measures to control Troy Lane access not sufficient.
Please be mindful that those drivers of through-traffic that have ignored signage to get as far as the closed section will inevitably follow local traffic if seen entering Troy Lane – please do not give them reason to follow.
While this remains a matter fully under the control and responsibility of OCC’s Highways Dept., the Parish Council will continue to liaise as effectively as possible – parishioners may of course contact OCC Highways direct via TTRORequests@Oxfordshire.gov.uk or Tel: 0345 310 11 11 quoting the TTRO reference above.
Thank you again for your patience during this period.
D.M. Richardson, KPC Chair