Assess relief roads and better M40 access to tackle Banbury’s congestion
The Issue
I’m a Banbury resident trying to turn a concern many of us discuss into a constructive request for action.
I’m not a transport planner or highway engineer. Like many residents, I have my own thoughts, but deciding where a new road or motorway junction could go requires professional assessment and public consultation.
This petition asks the responsible authorities to compare the options and explain what can realistically be delivered.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Congestion and road disruption affect journeys to work, businesses, deliveries, bus services, care visits, childcare and healthcare appointments.
Contributors to my community post have described longer journeys, disrupted care visits, missed appointments and difficulties receiving business deliveries. These are personal accounts, rather than independently verified findings, but they highlight experiences that deserve investigation.
The recent Cherwell Street closure has brought the vulnerability of the network into focus. My thoughts remain with the injured workers and their families, and public safety must come first.
The wider question is how Banbury’s transport network can better serve existing communities, support planned housing and employment growth, and cope when an important route becomes unavailable.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR
We call on Oxfordshire County Council, working with Cherwell District Council, National Highways and neighbouring authorities, to commission or update, fund and publish a comparative assessment of:
• An outer ring road or individual relief-road links around Banbury.
• Additional M40 access south of Banbury, assessed alongside previously considered access options and improvements to existing junctions, including the connecting roads needed and potential effects on surrounding communities.
• Improvements to existing roads and junctions, public transport, walking and cycling, including practical measures that could be delivered sooner.
The assessment should consider current congestion, freight movements, approved and proposed development, and disruption during major closures.
It should compare likely benefits, costs, road safety, environmental effects and impacts on neighbouring communities. It should also establish whether options would reduce congestion overall or simply move it elsewhere.
We ask the authorities to identify:
• A lead authority responsible for coordinating the work.
• The scope, funding and completion timetable for the assessment.
• Potential funding sources for viable improvements.
• Opportunities for residents, businesses and surrounding communities to contribute.
• The next decision points following publication of the findings.
We also request a public progress report within six months of the petition’s formal consideration, explaining what work has been commissioned and when findings and decisions are expected. This is a requested timeframe, not an existing council commitment.
A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY FORWARD
Banbury already has an inner relief road. This petition asks whether additional routes and better connections could help, alongside improvements to the existing network and other transport options.
Signing does not mean endorsing a particular road alignment or assuming that a new motorway junction is feasible. It means supporting a proper assessment, public consultation and a clear explanation of the next steps.
Where relevant studies already exist, we ask that they are published or clearly signposted, reviewed for their continuing relevance and used to avoid unnecessary duplication.
Different views are welcome. Please keep discussion respectful and focused on evidence and practical improvements.
WHO SHOULD SIGN
For submission to Oxfordshire County Council, signatures must be from people who live or work in Oxfordshire.
Please check that the postcode recorded with your signature is an accurate home or work postcode in Oxfordshire. Do not post your postcode or other private information in public comments.
Nothing happens overnight, but we can ask for the evidence, decisions and timetable needed to make progress.
Owen Brown
Banbury resident
250
The Issue
I’m a Banbury resident trying to turn a concern many of us discuss into a constructive request for action.
I’m not a transport planner or highway engineer. Like many residents, I have my own thoughts, but deciding where a new road or motorway junction could go requires professional assessment and public consultation.
This petition asks the responsible authorities to compare the options and explain what can realistically be delivered.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Congestion and road disruption affect journeys to work, businesses, deliveries, bus services, care visits, childcare and healthcare appointments.
Contributors to my community post have described longer journeys, disrupted care visits, missed appointments and difficulties receiving business deliveries. These are personal accounts, rather than independently verified findings, but they highlight experiences that deserve investigation.
The recent Cherwell Street closure has brought the vulnerability of the network into focus. My thoughts remain with the injured workers and their families, and public safety must come first.
The wider question is how Banbury’s transport network can better serve existing communities, support planned housing and employment growth, and cope when an important route becomes unavailable.
WHAT WE ARE ASKING FOR
We call on Oxfordshire County Council, working with Cherwell District Council, National Highways and neighbouring authorities, to commission or update, fund and publish a comparative assessment of:
• An outer ring road or individual relief-road links around Banbury.
• Additional M40 access south of Banbury, assessed alongside previously considered access options and improvements to existing junctions, including the connecting roads needed and potential effects on surrounding communities.
• Improvements to existing roads and junctions, public transport, walking and cycling, including practical measures that could be delivered sooner.
The assessment should consider current congestion, freight movements, approved and proposed development, and disruption during major closures.
It should compare likely benefits, costs, road safety, environmental effects and impacts on neighbouring communities. It should also establish whether options would reduce congestion overall or simply move it elsewhere.
We ask the authorities to identify:
• A lead authority responsible for coordinating the work.
• The scope, funding and completion timetable for the assessment.
• Potential funding sources for viable improvements.
• Opportunities for residents, businesses and surrounding communities to contribute.
• The next decision points following publication of the findings.
We also request a public progress report within six months of the petition’s formal consideration, explaining what work has been commissioned and when findings and decisions are expected. This is a requested timeframe, not an existing council commitment.
A CONSTRUCTIVE WAY FORWARD
Banbury already has an inner relief road. This petition asks whether additional routes and better connections could help, alongside improvements to the existing network and other transport options.
Signing does not mean endorsing a particular road alignment or assuming that a new motorway junction is feasible. It means supporting a proper assessment, public consultation and a clear explanation of the next steps.
Where relevant studies already exist, we ask that they are published or clearly signposted, reviewed for their continuing relevance and used to avoid unnecessary duplication.
Different views are welcome. Please keep discussion respectful and focused on evidence and practical improvements.
WHO SHOULD SIGN
For submission to Oxfordshire County Council, signatures must be from people who live or work in Oxfordshire.
Please check that the postcode recorded with your signature is an accurate home or work postcode in Oxfordshire. Do not post your postcode or other private information in public comments.
Nothing happens overnight, but we can ask for the evidence, decisions and timetable needed to make progress.
Owen Brown
Banbury resident
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Petition created on 27 October 2026