Looking out of the window at around 11 am, there was a queue of traffic heading up West St Helen Street. One driver said she had not moved for 15 minutes. This was the first traffic problem in the street after weeks of relative quiet during the road closure, and it occurred during half term, when traffic is usually lighter.

On this occasion, the disruption was caused by an accident or medical emergency.

Traffic tailed back along Bridge Street, Stert Street, The Vineyard, and Stratton Way.

Within about an hour the incident had been dealt with and traffic was moving freely again. For a while, a person from the company who look after the car parks on behalf of Vale of White Horse District Council took on the role of directing traffic at the junction of West St Helen Street.

Somebody leaned out of his car window at Wilsham Road and asked ‘Do you know the cause of the hold up?”

One.Network indicates that there are temporary traffic lights by the McDonalds roundabout . The hold up could be a knock on effect of that.
The Living Streets website says that the ‘22nd September is World Car Free Day, when all around the world, towns and cities allow people to experience streets free of motor traffic as well as making travel easier for those who rely on private vehicles for health and mobility reasons.‘

Abingdon residents may have noticed the recent installation of seven speed indicator signs at various locations around town. These solar-powered devices, equipped with built-in batteries, will collect data on vehicle speeds, which can be analysed.

Several signs have been positioned near the town’s entry points, including Drayton Road and Oxford Road, where the speed limit is 30 mph. The speed indicator at Abingdon Bridge is situated in the recently implemented 20 mph zone.

Certain speed indicators, along extended road sections, such as Copenhagen Drive and Audlett Drive, both 30 MPH, can be manually rotated to check speeds from either direction.