Residents and councillors are concerned over a decaying medieval bridge that has recently seen a surge in East West Rail (EWR) and HS2 lorries crossing.

The grade II listed 16th century bridge in Lower Heyford, Bicester, which was originally built in 1550 to carry horse and cart, has been in disrepair for some time.

Five years ago, Oxfordshire County Council lined one side of the bridge with safety barriers to keep drivers away from the crumbling edge.

However, because of railway developments being carried out around Bicester, the crossing and its connecting roads are seeing an increasing number of rail-related heavy vehicles.

Lower Heyford resident Robin barker said: “This last week or so we’ve had several hundred earth-moving lorries coming across the bridge.

“They’re taking tons of soil from Bicester to Shipston recycling centre.

“One lorry stopped and asked why I was taking a picture. I told the driver we were concerned about all the heavy vehicles, and he agreed that it was ridiculous.

“We’re overrun with heavy vehicles over a medieval bridge, it can’t take much more.”

The safety barriers are still there now, and Mr Barker said even they have begun to decay.

A further issue with the Lower Heyford stretch of Station Road is the lack of a clear footpath.

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Mr Barker said: “It’s so dangerous. Vehicles come flying across the bridge at 60mph. Lorries which are as wide as the bridge sometimes have to go onto the pavement.

“And overgrown weeds make the pavement impassable. It’s unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists.”

Lower Heyford and Caulcott Parish Councillor Richard Fowles said: “The volume of traffic is too high and too heavy for a rural B-road.

“The weight of vehicles has escalated since Heyford Park has been developed. There’s a constant disruption to people who live in villages.

“Station Road also runs very close to the houses in Lower Heyford – around a metre away – and there are convoys of seven or eight lorries thundering past shaking their foundations.”

Deputy Leader of Cherwell District Council Ian Corkin said: “All bridges are kept under review. The engineers at Oxfordshire County Council tell me the bridge in question is among the sturdiest of any they monitor.

“There’s always been a desire for a weight limit on the bridge and the road.

“One way of doing this is by imposing a structural weight limit, but the engineers have always maintained that a structural limit is not doable because it’s a very strong bridge.

“It has been confirmed this week there is no routing agreement between Oxfordshire County Council and the two rail companies which would keep them away from Lower Heyford.

“As such, it will be left with EWR and HS2 to find compromises.”

  

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This story was written by Matthew Norman, he joined the team in 2022 as a Facebook community reporter.

Matthew covers Bicester and focuses on finding stories from diverse communities.

Get in touch with him by emailing: Matthew.norman@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @OxMailMattN1

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