Work has been underway for three weeks on the Lodge Hill A34 interchange near Abingdon.

Two of the existing splitter islands have been removed to give construction vehicles easier access, and traffic cones now mark where the islands once stood. The roundabout construction is scheduled next.

Across the site, machinery, yellow safety barriers and teams in hi-vis overalls are busy preparing the ground.

Much of the recent activity has focused on earthmoving with the excavation of a terraced channel through the red soil near the A4183 Oxford Road.

This major project will add south-facing slip roads onto the A34, with two new roundabouts linking the slip roads to the A4183 Oxford Road. It is designed to improve access between Abingdon and the A34 and reduce congestion on the town’s roads as new housing develops to the north.

You can find more details on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

The main construction work on the long-awaited A34 Lodge Hill interchange started today (Wednesday 3rd September).

During the day, surveyors could been on site with their theodolites, aimed at the splitter island at the A34 southbound off-slip junction. This island will be the first thing to go, creating more space for construction vehicles to move in and out.

Traffic management is already in place. On the A34, lanes have been narrowed and drivers are being asked to slow down near the works to keep everyone safe. Overnight temporary traffic lights are also running between 9 pm and 5 am on the A4183 and the A34 southbound off-slip while the islands are removed.

Cllr Judy Roberts, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Place, Environment and Climate Action, said: “We have all campaigned for this for so long and it is wonderful news that construction has begun.”

The project, being delivered by Balfour Beatty with support from Homes England, is expected to finish by the end of 2026. When complete, it should reduce through-traffic in Abingdon. A condition for the new homes being built to the north of Abingdon was that the Lodge Hill interchange improvements were funded and built.

You can find more details about the A34 Lodge Hill scheme and traffic management plans on Oxfordshire County Council’s website:

Drayton Road has long been one of Abingdon’s most congested routes.

A sign on Drayton Road warned of gas mains replacement works with multi-way traffic lights “for two weeks from 4th August.” The fact that the works are still ongoing has caught some people off guard, raising concerns that the delays might continue and get worse after schools return on 2nd September.

However, One.Network lists the schedule from 4th August 10:30 until 29th August 23:59 — nearly four weeks in total — so the works should finish before the new school term.

You can check the latest updates on the One.Network website.