Thanks to Paul for this report and pictures …

The workmen were out bright and early on Sunday, a day early, to start Preston Road resurfacing works.

They took some neighbours by surprise as the County Council must have decided to extend the resurfacing work to the junction with Lambrick Way. A few cars which were parked on Preston Road had to be moved with haste.

With the beefy machinery in place and good weather it didn’t take long to remove the old tarmac down to the hard-core of the road.

Then it was on with the new tarmac and by mid afternoon the stretch from Lambrick Way to Kensington Close was done.

Many of the potholes along the access road / footpath to St Helen’s Mill have been decorated with green paint – an indication that they are about to be resurfaced.

Signs have also sprung up along Preston Road saying that it will closed for 4 days approx in mid April for resurfacing. I gather that the works won’t be during the rush hour, but during the day.

These repairs may have been already planned, or it could be that Abingdon is benefitting from some of the £4.7m (reported in this morning’s Abingdon Herald) that Oxfordshire County Council have received, unexpectedly from central government, to repair potholes.

Work on the new pedestrian / cycle crossing near the Wootton Road roundabout is well underway. The lights have been installed on Dunmore Road, and the corner made tighter to slow traffic down.

Work is now progressing on widening pavements for dual pedestrians / bike use towards Abingdon and Witney College. Crossings near the college, and paths the other side of the college, are also being improved.

In the past there have been a number of accidents involving cars and cycles near the roundabout. To cut future accidents, the scheme should slow cars at the junction, and allow less confident cyclists to use the Toucan crossing.

John said “There is a lot of activity at the Boundary House Traffic Junction. Perhaps one of your knowledgeable followers can tell is what is going on. It seems curious that money is being spent on this junction – where as a user I have never noticed a problem – when there are potholes galore waiting for attention!

Better publicised is the work to begin this week at the Wootton Road / Dunmore Road roundabout. There will a new toucan crossing on the Dunmore Road, and the pavement from the roundabout to beyond Abingdon College will be widened to include a cycle lane.

This £300K scheme is funded by the Department for Transport and Oxfordshire County Council to improve cycle safety. The Abingdon northern ring road has had more than its share of cycle accidents and fatalities.

“Think Bicycle!”