Abingdon Cub Reporter Newcomer has discovered a new road closure. The road runs from Abingdon Bridge to Abingdon Lock. The road was cracked and potted, and the edges were uneven and caused ankle inversions and so maintenance was needed.

As a diversion there is a plastic track through a wheat field, for vehicles,

and a track with bark chipping, for pedestrians.

I made a little video to show how the Abingdon Bridge traffic lights are causing problems. This was taken about 5 pm on a Friday. Traffic coming over the bridge from Culham often impedes traffic coming out of Abingdon. . The Abits system (implemented in 2007) was designed to hold traffic outside the centre for air quality reasons, but that has broken down because of the Abingdon Bridge traffic lights. The traffic fumes along Stert Street are a danger to public health.

The video is blurred to hide number plates.

Campervans and caravans have returned to Hales Meadow for the summer holidays.

Minor repairs to the ancient Abingdon Bridge require the knowledge of heritage experts to proceed and this week the cones have been extended across the full span of the bridge to give pedestrians and cyclists more room.

On Hales Meadow, over Abingdon Bridge, there were spectators at Abingdon Vale Cricket Club pavilion along with batsmen awaiting their innings.

On the other side of the pitch were the campervans and caravans.

For traffic approaching the extended cones on Abingdon Bridge there is a sign that says ‘Temporary active travel lane’.

The wider pedestrian walkway is just what was needed during the first lockdown when people were going into the road, dangerously near traffic, to avoid other pedestrians coming the other way. Most of the cyclists were still going with the cars and lorries.

Reopening the old Drayton slip road onto the A34 has sometimes been talked about as a way of reducing traffic coming into Abingdon on the Drayton Road – where traffic queues are a long running issue.

The slip road was being used by travelers for a spell at the start of the year. Since then interlocking concrete blocks have been put across the entrance and adjoining fences.

Two week ago the blocks were removed and construction traffic entered the slip way. The slipway is not being opened up, as I at first hoped, or being blocked up for good. At the A34 end the slipway has been used as an unofficial layby on the A34, and the work is to make it an official layby. The existing gates will be replaced with heavy duty gates and the interlocking concrete blocks put back.