Lodge Hill A34 Interchange – Progress Update (Summer 2025)

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Enabling works are well underway on the Lodge Hill A34 interchange upgrade. Since the earlier blog post announcing the start of construction, more progress has been made – especially on the works depot and car park. This area will eventually link a new roundabout on the A4183 (Oxford Road) with a new slip road onto the southbound A34 towards Newbury, helping to ease traffic through Abingdon.

Further vegetation clearance has taken place near the existing slip road from Oxford. This is in preparation for one of the two new roundabouts. It will connect the slip road from Oxford and the new slip road towards Newbury with the A4183.

There has been some clearance for the other new roundabout. It will connect the new slip road from Newbury and the slip road to Oxford with the A4183.

The main construction work — including the two roundabouts forming the new ‘dumbbell’ layout and south facing slip roads — is due to begin in late summer 2025. As part of the project, the access road to Egertons will be re-routed.

Cool by the Water

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Yesterday was hot, and people were glad of the water fountain in Roysse Court.

Down by the Mill Stream, birds not usually thought of as water birds had joined the ducks and moorhen and swans

— drawn by the need to drink or dip their feathers.

It wasn’t a weekend or school holiday, but there was already a queue of people glad to find the open-air pool open.

The lone parent swan family are surviving. Having lost one parent, there are still eight siblings — already in the water, they come ashore in search of food.

Heron at the Weir (Theme Day ‘Bubbles’)

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The weir walkway has been closed, much to the disappointment of many Abingdon residents and regular walkers. The closure was for safety reasons, after corrosion was found in the steelwork supporting the structure. The Environment Agency are investigating. A diversion is in place until 15 November 2025. There’s still hope it might reopen sooner.

While people are kept away, the local wildlife is enjoying the peace. A heron fishes in the churning waters beneath the weir.

The 1st of July is “Theme Day” in the City Daily Photo blogging circle, and this month’s theme is Bubbles. At Abingdon Weir, the heron fishes in a froth of them.

Every second, the water falling through the sluices creates countless bubbles — expanding, bursting, and vanishing.

Albert Park in June 2025

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In the early mornings, many people are out walking in Albert Park. Most have dogs with them, but not all.

Near the Conduit Road entrance, the large rose tree is in full bloom. It’s a great choice for its scent, and the bees are busy among the flowers. Trinity Church had its 150th Anniversary in June.

On one leaf, a snail has found a perch.

Further round the park stands a ginkgo tree, with its distinctive leaves.

There are also two Indian bean trees, with upright white blossoms similar to those of chestnut trees. Their long, bean-like seed pods hang beneath.

Pine cones are ripening.

Some of the evergreens have shed their leaves. Other trees have let seed chaff fall – a soft cover for parts of the path.

A crow ambles across the dry grass and path.

And at the end of the day, on one of the longest evenings of the year, Albert stands with the sun setting behind him.

The trees are silhouetted against the sky, and a swirl of clouds catches the last light.