The government has delayed a long-awaited road scheme which has been 15 years in the making.

Construction of new westbound slip roads on the A40 at Shores Green in Witney was due to commence in early September.

But progress has been halted until November as Oxfordshire County Council and contractors Milestone Infrastructure were waiting for a decision from the Department for Transport.

The Transport Secretary Louise Haigh finally confirmed on September 30 that access to land for these roads has been approved.   

A spokesperson for the county council said: “Some planned construction at Shores Green has been delayed because the county council needs the Secretary of State for Transport to approve access to land.

"There has been a delay in getting this approval for legal orders that will allow contractors to access the site to begin work.

"A decision was originally expected in July. The knock-on impact of this delay is not yet confirmed but the council is still aiming to complete the new A40 slip roads towards the end of 2025."

The £25million scheme will build two slip roads at Shores Green junction so traffic can access the westbound A40 without travelling through the town centre.

It will help address congestion and air quality problems in Witney town centre, particularly at Bridge Street, and improve links for walking and cycling in the Shores Green area, both to and from South Leigh and the A40, said the county council.

It will also support and mitigate the impacts of major new development sites planned in East and North Witney of up to 4,702 new homes.

Permission was granted for 450 homes in Cogges Triangle in July where a contribution of £6.6 million is due to made towards the scheme.

County councillor Dan Levy, whose Eynsham division incorporates the junction, said: "It is disappointing that the government is taking its time to make what ought to be a straightforward decision, three months after the general election.

"I am hopeful that the County Council will get the go ahead soon for a project that will benefit everyone."

District and Witney town councillor Duncan Enright, whose ward incorporates the junction, has campaigned for the slip roads since 2010 and said the hold-up was "no cause for concern".

He said: "I watch this like a hawk! There is nothing that can get in the way of my support for this project along with all my fellow Labour councillors.

"Though there are loads of fiddly details to go through, and constant extra delays, a few weeks now is nothing compared to the decade and a half we have been waiting.

"When they start digging I will be there taking pictures for posterity."

For local people and commuters the slip roads can not come soon enough.

Back in 2019 1,135 people signed a petition organised by Labour councillors entitled 'Shores Green Junction: Build it now please!'

It took another three years before plans were finally lodged in April 2022 and a compulsory purchase was approved in May 2023.

Since first being discussed 15 years ago the estimated total value of the scheme has risen five-fold from £4.5million to £25million funded by a combination of the Oxfordshire Growth and Housing Deal and developer contributions.

Conservative county councillor for Hanborough & Minster Lovell Liam Walker said communication was key.

He said: “This further delay is very frustrating but given this is a project that should have been constructed many years ago I am hoping a few more weeks won’t make much difference.

"It doesn’t fill me with much confidence that dates were being announced by the council when they knew the legal parts were yet to be completed.

"Clear communication with these schemes is vital I think rather than goalposts being constantly moved."