CAMPAIGNERS have raised fresh safety concerns over the planned redevelopment of the West Way shopping centre in Botley.

Members of West Way Community Concern say HGV access as well as the location of the cycle storage at the proposed development would be a danger to pedestrians and cyclists.

An application from developer, Botley Development Company, to demolish the existing site to make way for a mixed retail and residential centre was approved in 2016, however, details of the development and its construction are still being discussed.

Members of the community group say current proposals which would see service vehicles enter the site at West Way and exit through Westminster Way via a one-way system.

However the route through the site would see HGVs make a series of left turns posing a significant safety risk, according to the group.

Dr Mary Gill of West Way Community Concern, said the current plans went against commitments made by the developers which would have seen HGVs travel the opposite way through the site, making only right turns.

She said: “This was because the route the other way round presents a danger to other road users, especially cyclists."

Dr Gill also said cyclists would be riding against the flow of traffic in some cases to access the bike stores in the currently proposed location.

Councillors will discuss the amendments to the West Way development at a meeting of the Vale of White Horse planning committee tonight.

Dr Gill added added: “It is worrying that this proposal will go to committee without these issues being addressed.

“If it is approved, we will have a very flawed centre.

“It could have been so much better if the designers had started from a masterplan, not just tried to get as much building in as possible, and only thought about essential things like deliveries and cycle parking as an after-thought.”