Wilderness traffic.

Fri 4 Aug 2017, 10:01

Yep, there's a bit of traffic. I've been working at home and Oxford for last two days and have got to Oxford and back and Witney without an inconvenience. I obviously didn't use routes that I have known would be congested.

Fri 4 Aug 2017, 08:05 (last edited on Fri 4 Aug 2017, 08:16)

I would suggest that our representative on WODC and OCC should oppose the running of ANY major events at Cornbury UNLESS and UNTIL Cornbury / the organisers come up with a credible risk assessment and traffic management plan covering contractors and spectators.

By "credible" I mean one that does not leave contractors wondering how to access the park, cars routed on totally unsuitable roads or any significant volume of pedestrian traffic walking on roads that do not have footpaths.

As regards Dyers Hill / Station Hill, even lorries below 7.5 tonnes have difficulty getting through because the parking is not (and should be) restricted to just one side of the road - the south side.

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 23:45

So an artic lorry having driven over the bridge which has a 7.5 tonne limit , then has to reverse all the way back down the hill in the dark - having to cross the bridge again in reverse ? Then the same HGV has crossed the bridge twice -'once in reverse in the dark- two things are going to happen ?'?.
One day that bridge is going to collapse and someone is going to be involved in an accident or worse

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 22:56

Yes your so right niki also why are people walking towards Finstock in the dark not very impressive the traffic management I do like the way they have the halogen lights at Finstock enterance is shining straight into drivers eyes coming from Charlbury

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 22:47

Having just spent 30 minutes stopping traffic at the station so that an enormous artic could reverse back down Dyers Hill, I have phoned Thames Valley Police and requested that they either address the issue themselves or instruct the Festival organisers to do so. I'm not quite sure how this matter can be taken seriously as I understand it's been problematic for years and I'm left wondering what sort of tragedy it will take for someone to listen and act.

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 18:28

Peter why the sarcasm? Jackie was warning others

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 17:27

Thanks Jackie. I had a client who gave me 24 hrs notice that work needed to be done for Wilderness weekend. Decided on going to Applegarth rather than Hilltop based on what you said.

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 16:48

Why do walkers need to use the main road?

Has Mama chosen to block the public footpath across Cornbury? And when was that agreed or announced?

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 16:17

festival goers staying in Charlbury are being turned away from North Lodge gate and walking to the Finstock gate. Very dangerous.Please take care or give a lift to walkers.

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 16:11 (last edited on Thu 3 Aug 2017, 16:11)

@Jackie Hague - Wow, what a journey you've had, are you OK? I was on the edge of my seat when you mentioned you went via Finstock, it's almost like the story of the Syrian refugee, Rania Mustafa Ali, who crossed the Mediterranean in a tiny dinghy then battled with masked police firing tear gas whilst trying to cross the Macedonian border. I mean forget Rania's harrowing story, you must've had an absolute nightmare on the 20 minute detour back to the war-zone that once was idyllic Charlbury!

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 15:28

Just back from Witney. Finstock to Charlbury road was jammed back to the Leafield turn. We detoured via Finstock and Stonesfield and came in to Charlbury along Woodstock Road.

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 15:21

And the b****y drumming has started already!!

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 14:53

Traffic down toward the station is get all jammed up

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 14:00

Apparently it takes an hour to get from Finstock to charlbury right now?

Thu 3 Aug 2017, 08:34

I drove back from Bicester last night, crossed the Oxford-Banbury road just south of Sturdy's Castle and drove past the Natural Burial Ground and the Thames Water plant.

At this point Wilderness traffic was signed straight on along the B4027, but at the very next junction by Oxford School of Drama, festival traffic was signed LEFT with no weight restriction mentioned. There is a weight restriction sign on the junction but all too easy to miss in traffic.

That road is single track throughout most of its length and in the bottom of the valley there is a hump back bridge over the River Glyme. Totally unsuitable for any volume of two way traffic even if limited to cars and light vans. Maybe it is to be made a one way route from this morning?

In darkness on a wet night the red and blue squares on the temporary signs just appear black. Some 3M Reflexite or similar is needed.

Poor signage, unsuitable roads - Blenheim and Cornbury need to coordinate their 2018 diaries NOW! OCC should insist on non clashing dates for major events in the same area.

Wed 2 Aug 2017, 22:54

Actually, much of the signage around Charlbury is very poor and particularly at Five Ways. They have signs along the Slade for 'blue' and 'red' gates but, when driving towards Witney, there is no sign of either colour indicating the turn onto the track to Southill. Of greater interest is the sign reading '7.5 TWL Production Deliveries Route' at Fiveways, directing traffic along Park Street to North Lodge. Even AA Signs who put these notices in place couldn't tell me what it meant when I phoned them earlier today - and acknowledged that the adjacent sign reading 'all traffic' is confusing and conflicting. Is there a 7.5 ton limit or not? The company handling the traffic signage is Cash and Traffic Management Ltd of Coventry - whatever you do, don't trust them with your cash because they certainly can't handle traffic. I only hope that Network Rail are content with the strength of the over bridge on the drive to Cornbury North Lodge or there will be real fun next week when Wilderness is being dismantled. All of this after my earlier high hopes, having spoken to Cornbury on 24 July about 3 HGVs on Pooles Lane. What do you say Hannen?

Wed 2 Aug 2017, 22:29

Yes, I caught that one at 6.50 at Oxford and was surprised to see only two coaches. There were enough seats though. :)

Wed 2 Aug 2017, 17:11

Meanwhile on the trains...

"17:49 London Paddington to Worcester Shrub Hill. Will be formed of 2 coaches instead of 8."

Wed 2 Aug 2017, 17:08

I understand that there is to be a protest on the A44 people objecting to new housing continually pressing the crossing button

Wed 2 Aug 2017, 14:40

The signage appears very good from a very wide radius

Wed 2 Aug 2017, 10:25

A traffic management company has been employed for both events so things should go smoothly. Traffic from Oxford is directed on A40 towards and down through Burford, where it will approach Charlbury on Forest Road then turn left on Leafield Road to Cornbury.

Wed 2 Aug 2017, 07:52

I would assume that the request for Wilderness traffic to avoid Bladon is because it is also the Countryfile live event this weekend. Advisable for all to avoid anywhere near Blenheim this weekend including the junction at Jude's garage as I assume (without really knowing!) that they'll use the Stonesfield entrance. At least Wilderness is an all weekend event rather than daily.

Tue 1 Aug 2017, 23:39

Sorry. The roundabout on the A3400 / A361 by the Shell garage just before it becomes the A44. I was returning from Long Compton and the signs direct Wilderness traffic to turn right at the roundabout towards Chippy town centre.

Tue 1 Aug 2017, 22:48

Which roundabout/road numbers Jackie and travelling in which direction do the signs direct traffic via Chippy?

Tue 1 Aug 2017, 20:48 (last edited on Tue 1 Aug 2017, 20:48)

The signs for Wilderness at the roundabout on the A44 at Chipping Norton send all Wilderness traffic through Chippy itself.

Tue 1 Aug 2017, 19:33

Ian Hudspeth wants all Wilderness traffic to avoid Woodstock, is that realistic? or just someone from Bladon wanting to cover his own backside?

Tour of Britain cycling soon, which I welcome as a rarity, but there needs to be some rationing / alternation of other fixtures. Maybe Blenheim and Cornbury need to talk to one another to avoid another date clash in 2018?

Just spotted an artic with SECOND trailer! in the lay-by between Charlbury and Spelsbury after failing to find contractors' entrance to Wilderness. He said signage was very poor so maybe action is needed?

Thu 27 Jul 2017, 14:12

After a request to the Cornbury estate office, I received a call from the Wilderness person responsible for traffic signs and he showed a lot of concern about lorries on inappropriate roads. He promised an immediate review of signage with revision, relocation and addition as appropriate - and some changes have already been made. Well done and thanks to Cornbury and Wilderness. However if you see a large truck bound for Wilderness but in the town centre, please post the details here as I'm sure Cornbury and Wilderness will be monitoring postings.

Mon 24 Jul 2017, 18:10

This has been happening for years.

Mon 24 Jul 2017, 17:53

This morning three very large trucks came separately down Dancers Hill and Pooles Lane, trying to deliver to Cornbury. They of course were unable to turn either way at the Playing Close and then really struggled to turn round and had difficulty getting back up Dancers Hill. One of them was loaded so high with metal railings that he snagged telephone wires. Luckily someone stopped him, and he had to climb to the top of his load to untangle them. One driver said he had found the signage confusing, and I think they all thought that the Findlay signs pointing to Site Entrance were for them.
We had suffered heavy trucks along Pooles Lane for months now, with traffic legitimately heading for the Findlay site, and many others coming the wrong way to reach the Community Centre. The road has been damaged (for instance the corner of Sandford Rise, where a dozen kerbstones have been pulled out and a concrete manhole cover broken). There will be numerous trucks heading for Cornbury in the next nine days, so please please can the people responsible for directing Wilderness traffic ensure that the signs are clearer, and tell trucks which way they should go, not just which way not to go.