The ‘Road Ahead Closed’ sign has been there since last December. The yellow sign beyond says ‘Businesses are Open as Usual’. Lodge Hill Garage and Bagley Wood Saw Mill are open should you be looking for a second hand car or some timber.
Pictures from Meridian ITV showed the damage after last winter’s heavy rain. Repairs have been underway for the last month but it could be a year between closure and reopening of this important road. The road is the one alternative to the over busy A34 when it gets jammed.
For people who cannot face the A34 it is the only way.
Long may it stay shut – try getting over Boars Hill from Wootton when it’s open.
The sign saying ‘Businesses are Open as Usual’ is not quite correct. It implies that a person can gain access to them.
I tried to get to the Westwood Hotel but encountered the barriers erected to stop access. I had to turn around, go on the A34 northbound and come off the first Oxford exit and go up Boars Hill to gain access that way.
The old A34 was a turnpike – so is the collapse partly of an 18th century causeway?
..could be; also the Kimmeridge Clay and lots of rain!
Whatever it is a year is an incredible amount of time.
See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1369307
I was going to point out the Japanese earthquake too. It amazes me that despite their economy being fu**ed, they can still have a major road repaired in 6 days. Yet in Britain we can’t get a road repaired in 6 months. Baffles.