Outside the Aldi supermarket on the Wootton Road there have been roadworks since the start of September to replace the old gas mains. They have caused tailbacks particularly back along Copenhagen Drive.
Most of the houses at the Kings Gate development have been finished. There are still a few to be built close to the A34
There is no road sign yet for these houses but I did see a food bin with the name Hasnip Mead, presumably named after Audrey Hasnip, or possibly Keith Hasnip, both of whom were Mayors of Abingdon.
Walking through the Abbey Fields development there are three cross roads that end at the fence with the A34: Gower Road, Knights Mead, and Cox Way. There was Brian Gower Shoes. F Knight & Sons ran the hardware store that is now Sydenhams. And Cox? There have been two mayors of Abingdon with the name Cox, a Mayor of Ock Street called Cox, a local historian called Mieneke Cox, and various businesses called Cox. But I am probably missing the most obvious Cox.
There is still a lot of building activity in Abbey Fields.
Further along is The Meadows, where building work is fairly new. There is a new marketing suite, the third marketing suite on the walk.
Arriving at the Oxford Road Roundabout, work on upgrading the roundabout, planned to be completed in Autumn 2024, has been stalled for some months. Autumn ends on November 30th and so two weeks remain to meet that target. Beyond can be seen Radley Reach.
At Radley Reach are completed buildings and a lot of buildings work in progress and another marketing suite. It does not look as if anybody has moved in yet.
And to continue. We have just had a publication through our letterbox setting out the consulation plans for the thousand odd houses to be built on the Dalton Barracks site. Does anyone know what has happened to the proposed diamond interchange which was to be built in North Abingdon so that people can access the Southbound A34? No work seems to be started on it.
main construction starts early next year.
Extract from the County Council website:
The A34 Lodge Hill Interchange scheme is being constructed/delivered in phases.
Key dates
Detailed design Spring 2024 – Early 2025
Local traffic calming works Autumn 2024
A34 layby works Early 2025 – Spring 2025
Main construction enabling works Early 2025
Main construction start Spring 2025
Construction complete (open) Summer 2026
I was well out. The number of new houses to be built on the Dalton Barracks site is estimated to be 5,250. There is still the problem of people having to drive down to the Police Station roundabout to get on the Southbound A34. Potentially a couple of thousand more cars driving through Abingdon dos’nt bear thinking about.
The last day of Autumn is the 21st Dec. not 30th Nov. This seems to be something that the met office dreamt up a few years ago, that the seasons must start on the first of the month.
At least the barracks blurb pays lip service to public transport. My journey to work is getting more and more unbearable as the volume of traffic continues to rise with the completion of every new estate. I always assumed I’d stay in Abingdon but now I’m not so sure.
Remember, if you can’t get an operation because of NHS waiting lists – you ARE the NHS waiting list!