Work starts on section of Benson relief road to cut traffic

Traffic on Benson high street is often made worse by parked cars and deliveries, the parish council says

Work has started on part of a road that is expected to reduce congestion in an Oxfordshire parish.

A relief road will see traffic directed away from the village of Benson via an alternative route, north of the area.

Construction has now begun on the south-westerly section of the road, with the northern part already complete and the middle area in progress.

The entire route will be open to all traffic in 2026, Oxfordshire County Council has said.

The parish council describes Oxford Road in Benson as a bottleneck

The Benson Relief Road will provide the new housing developments to the north of Benson village with direct access to the A4074 and B4009.

As the new section of road will sit within a flood zone, construction has started on a flood compensation area, which will take about 12 weeks to complete.

In early 2024, tarmac will be laid and pathways and cycle lanes will be built - work which is expected to last up to eight months.

Judy Roberts, the county council's cabinet member for infrastructure and development strategy, said people were often put in danger when walking in Benson and the scheme was "vital" to reducing traffic.

She said: "Benson's village centre has a complex arrangement of junctions, which must be navigated by both local and through traffic - including children walking to school and to other village facilities.

"Pedestrians, particularly those less mobile and parents with young children and pushchairs, are at risk while crossing the roads."

Planning consent for the road was granted in 2022 and has been funded by developers and Growth Deal funding from the government.

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