Renewed calls for muddy path near Bicester Services to be paved

Joanne Barrow called for a gap in the pavement next to the A41 Oxford Road roundabout on the edge of town near Bicester Shopping Park to be filled back in September 2020.

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The break in the path is between Bicester Services and Bicester Shopping Park meaning people who walk to the shops - which opened in 2020 - have to step on muddy ground.

Seventeen months later there is still no sign of the path.

Joanne said: "The very worn path alongside the Esso garage towards the Bicester retail park, where M&S Simply Food and Next are, is still in dire need of creating."

Bicester Services. Pic by Ed Nix

She said she has been in correspondence with Oxfordshire County Council and has sent complaints to Bicester councillors as well as North Oxfordshire MP Victoria Prentis over the months about the problem.

The path is to be delivered by developer Euro Garages as part of the revamp of Bicester Services which was approved by Cherwell in 2019 and saw the creation of a new Starbucks.

In September 2020, Euro Garages said the path had been delayed because the county council had asked it to make changes to the design.

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Now it has sent its plans to the council.

A county council spokesperson said: "Oxfordshire County Council has recently received the relevant drawings from the developer to enable us to complete the legal documents in relation to this footpath.

"The process could take several weeks."

Muddy footpath. Pic by Joanne Barrow

People have taken to social media in recent months complaining about the lack of a path.

Frances Bowers said in the Bicester Chat Facebook group in December: "The other morning I decided to venture to the Kingsmere shops ie Next, Boots etc. Having caught the S5 bus I alighted at the stop just before the Acorn roundabout. Using the crossing I was met with a wet, muddy, slippy track virtually all the way to the shops.

"Having finished my shopping I decided to walk home missing the mud, so turned right out of the shops and after negotiating at least eight pedestrian crossing lights I arrived where I got off the bus. Phew.

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"I continued my walk home via town. Why oh why can’t they Tarmac that muddy track to make things so much easier?"

Laura Hudson commented: "I walk that muddy patch regularly and usually end up walking in the road at this time of year. Would definitely be good to have it done because it’s used by people of all ages and it is dangerous when super muddy."

Euro Garages was contacted but failed to respond before this paper went to print.

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