Independent expert studies on traffic congestion in Watlington have come to the same conclusion: on street parking and HGVs are a significant cause of the problem.

Enforcement of the 7.5tonne weight limit and some parking removal would significantly reduce emissions and delays, even when taking into account all the planned growth in the district’s housing plan. This plan is set to remove the 3,000 housing allocation at nearby Chalgove Airfield. Making better use of the existing highway also addresses that traffic will still be in Watlington. A Watlington Relief Road would be an alternative route, not a replacement, so extra, traffic inducing road capacity.

National Highways, which manages the nearby M40 motorway, signposts the Watlington Junction 6 as NOT for HGVs, access only. Unfortunately, without rigorous enforcement this ban is being flouted all too often.

The proposed Watlington Relief Road would make the route off Junction 6 easier and quicker at Watlington for HGVs, with roundabouts for turning. The route will be more attractive for all motorised traffic. Yet the council has no amelioration plan for what happens to communities around Watlington such as Shirburn, Cuxham or Britwell Salome. Neither has it published any traffic modelling of the disbenefits of how a new strategic route might link up with other South Oxfordshire roads to greatly increase all traffic.

The traffic modelling submitted with the planning application to build a relief road has been found to be not fit for purpose. It excluded diverted and induced traffic.