Thames path improvements - Letter to Oxfordshire County Council

I have sent the following letter to LTS.Team AT oxfordshire.gov.uk in response to https://consultations.oxfordshire.gov.uk/consult.ti/OxfordRiversideRoutes/.

 

Hi,

 

I have submitted the following via the questionnaire:

 

The Oxpens bridge should move upstream to parallel the railway bridge with a path extension besides railway to station. Getting from Thames/railway station to canal towpath and up to Kidlington Airport and Kidlington new housing extension needed. Second bridge, again parallel to rail bridge needed to access Science Park.

 

I have used the Thames towpath for commuting to Osney Mead industrial estate for three months and for work on Cornmarket for three years. I also used the path for three months to commute to Kidlington (Oxford Airport) but it is too arduous and much to my sadness I now cycle on the road, so have trenchant views on the difficulty of cycle commuting in Oxford.

 

I understand that there is a plan to build many new houses in the Kidlington gap, between Summertown and Kidlington.

 

These new commuters would very much appreciate a functioning cycle route into the centre of town.

 

The new Oxford Parkway should be integrated into this cycle route.

 

The problem facing cyclists is not how to get from the towpath to the Centre, this is served by the pipe bridge, the pedestrian crossing down stream and Folley Bridge. What is needed is easy access to the railway station which could be easily achieved by a bridge parallel to the railway bridge and then along railway land to the station itself.

 

Cyclists wishing to get from the Thames to the canal have to continue to Osney, cross the road and then fiddle around the Thames onto the canal path, which is in a very poor state, then up to Kingsbridge and all the way through Kidlington to the Oxford Airport.

 

Finally the Thames path should connect the Science Park, and the planned new housing at Littlemore. This again could be achieved by a cycle bridge parallel to the existing railway bridge down stream from the bypass underpass.

 

I really welcome the proposals but would urge you to consider extending its scope and vision. This could be such a good route and would show that Oxford is a cycling city.

 

best regards Tim Pizey

-- Tim Pizey - http://tim.pizey.uk/