Collision Renews A40 Safety Concerns
A father and child on a bicycle were involved in a "dreadful" collision at the Barton Park pelican crossing on the A40 in Headington. The incident has reignited local debate about road safety at the busy junction.
The collision occurred on the morning of Wednesday, February 13, 2025, when a car struck the cyclist and his child, who was seated on the back of the bicycle. The two sustained minor injuries, with the father requiring treatment at John Radcliffe Hospital. It's understood the traffic lights turned green for vehicles as the cyclist was crossing the second carriageway. This crossing connects the new Barton Park development, which will have nearly 900 homes when complete, to the rest of Oxford. The A40 is a major trunk road with a 50mph speed limit at this section, carrying approximately 50,000 vehicles daily, which has led to residents labeling the junction as "very dangerous." Community groups have been campaigning for enhanced safety measures at the junction since 2019. Their calls grew louder following a serious collision in June 2024 between a lorry and a car that left one driver hospitalized. Residents have repeatedly expressed concerns about vehicles running red lights and exceeding the speed limit. In response to the longstanding concerns, Oxfordshire County Council has committed to funding red-light safety cameras at the junction and is in discussions with the police to install them. The council also plans to review the 50mph speed limit as part of a county-wide assessment and is looking into options to prevent illegal U-turns at the location. The original plans for the Barton Park development included a grade-separated underpass for buses, pedestrians, and cyclists. However, this was not built, and the current at-grade crossing is seen by cycling campaigners as a measure that severs the new development from the rest of the city. Official data from STATS19 shows three recorded injuries at the crossing between 2018 and 2020, including one serious pedestrian injury. However, residents have logged other incidents, and it's believed the official data may not fully capture the extent of the danger at the junction. The Barton Park development was marketed as a "healthy new town" intended to encourage walking and cycling. However, residents argue the dangerous A40 crossing undermines this goal, creating a significant barrier to accessing amenities in Headington and central Oxford without a car.
