The busy and popular Benson Marina is currently cut off from Benson due to no safe route to walk or cycle. This has left many frustrated over the lack of progress from Oxfordshire County Council on implementing a safe crossing point across the A4074.
Councillor Felix Bloomfield who is the county councillor for Benson said, "I was delighted to meet the Shadow Cabinet member for Oxfordshire Highways on site at Benson to discuss the ridiculous delay of the Toucan Crossing on the A4074 at Benson Marina. I secured funding for this project from local developers over a year ago. The crossing is a key part of my vision for better much needed highway safety in my division and I am determined it will become a reality very soon despite the unnecessarily frustrating delays."
Residents living in the Benson area have long expressed concerns about road safety. In a email to Cllr Bloomfield a council highways officer said, "Following my ongoing endeavours to push for construction under old rules we were ultimately unsuccessful. Your crossing is now one of around 15 schemes submitted to our term contractor with the Benson scheme as 1 of 3 top priorities given how long you've had to await."
Councillor Liam Walker, who is the opposition's spokesperson for highways, recently visited the crossing location and said "I am astonished the council has funding secured but is now not able to get diggers in the ground to get this crossing installed. Whilst the coalition at county hall are so focused on Oxford only issues our rural communities are being left behind and there are lots of schemes like this waiting to be implemented. It's just not good enough and residents deserve better."
