Archive for category: News

ARPC has made an application to Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) Highways department to consider if Kingston Hill could become a ‘quiet lane’.

Kingston Hill was always a single-track lane primarily used by farm traffic. Over the years the roads verges have been eroded, and successive resurfacing have made this a double wide road. Following the use of SatNav and the huge increase in traffic on the B4009 a significant number of cars use this lane as a shortcut to the M40 junction 5 and Stokenchurch.

Kingston Hill can no longer be used safely by non-car users wanting to access the Ridgeway or the Chiltern Hill’s footpaths and bridleways. The Ridgeway is a major national trail used by walkers, bike riders and horse riders and the residents of Kingston Blount along with the neighbouring villages and hamlets. All would benefit from having a direct access to the Ridgeway for recreational use and to non-car access to the shops and further public transport in Chinnor, Princess Risborough and Watlington.

The aim of a quiet lane is to prioritise riding, walking and safe access to the surrounding countryside without impacting car users too much. In this case the A40 is considered the primary route up the hill and would be the alternative route to Stokenchurch and the Hills and the M40 can be accessed at J6.

ARPC submitted an expression of interest to OCC and the idea has passed the first test and the council has advised ARPC that the proposal can go onto the next stage.

It is important to note that no decision has been made, there is a lot of assessment and public consultation to be undertaken before anything happens. It is also important to note that this is a pilot scheme and if the application were to proceed it would be for a temporary time to assess the benefits and the impacts.

As for the next steps, OCC has advised ARPC that an officer will be in touch soon to discuss how it plans to proceed. When ARPC has been contacted by OCC officers regarding the next steps we will keep everyone informed and give everyone the opportunity to discuss and debate the proposal. There will be lots of scoping and data gathering to do, so nothing will happen quickly and there will be plenty of time to assess things as we go along.

For those of you less keen on the idea, please rest assured that the initial scheme doesn’t tie us into anything. If there isn’t local support the scheme will not go ahead.

More information can be found on the OCC website – https://tinyurl.com/y4rzatd7

Temporary Traffic Regulation Notice – S14 Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984

Temporary Road Closure at Chinnor, Station Road

A request has been received from Circet UK for a temporary road closure to apply to a length of Station Road, whilst essential Llay 7m duct (1m in FW, 6m in CW), JNC of Duck Square// Lay 10m duct (2m in FW, 8m in CW), OS 17 to OPP 17 works are carried out.

A temporary Notice is being made by Oxfordshire County Council to implement the temporary restriction and will operate from 29 June 2026 up to and including 03 July 2026. This will operate between 07:00 and 19:00

Please note that Notices for urgent works can last up to 5 consecutive days only.

A copy of the drawing showing the extent of the closure and also the alternative routes for traffic is below.

Further information regarding the works may be obtained by contacting : Aidan Tuite on 07345426343 or email

Residents are encouraged to come along to a series of cost-of-living roadshows offering support and advice on managing household costs.

In recent years, the cost-of-living crisis has become a cost-of-living reality for many residents across South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

From May to December this year, the Community Hub Team from South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils will be visiting local community organisations across the districts on their cost-of-living roadshow.

Council officers will be on hand to provide advice on housing support, energy and heating grants, and other ways to help manage household costs.

The roadshows also give residents a chance to share feedback to the councils and help shape future support and services.

The first stops on the roadshow will be:

• Thursday 28 May, 2.30-4pm at Church Hall, St. Peter & St Paul’s Church, 81 West Way OX2 9JY
• Wednesday 15 July, 2-4pm at Vale Community Impact Pop-Up Café (Petypher House), Kingston Bagpuize OX13 5FR

Members of the public are welcome to drop in to the roadshow venues at any time, no bookings are required. More dates and locations will be announced over the summer, including future events in South Oxfordshire, with details being shared on the councils’ social media platforms and websites.

There’s more information about the cost-of-living support available on the council’s website (South/Vale) and the Community Hub team can be contacted by calling 01235 422600 or email .