A PARISH council wants to see a new railway bridge developed in an ‘environmentally-sensitive and community enhancing way’.

Appleford Parish Council wants to see changes to a new road which would link Didcot with the Culham Science Centre – and in particular the councillors do not want the bridge to ruin the village’s peace.

Oxfordshire County Council approved plans to build a relief road from Didcot to Clifton Hampden – and a fly-over bridge over private railway sidings at Appleford-on-Thames – in July 2020.

In October plans for the sidings tripled in size and Appleford Parish Council is concerned this will mean the bridge will need extensive construction beyond what was originally anticipated. The parish council is also concerned the road will be elevated on an embankment, raising it above the roof level of adjacent houses in Appleford.

Vicky Shepherd, vice chair of Appleford Parish Council, said: “Traffic pollution and noise from a raised road will extend much further across South Oxfordshire’s flat flood plain and nature reserve area, impacting adjacent villages such as Sutton Courtenay and north Didcot.”

Appleford Parish Council has notified Oxfordshire County Council of these concerns and is keen to work with it to adjust the alignment for this section of the road, so it is constructed at ground level and mitigates the pollution, noise and visual intrusion of the road for local communities, taxpayers and the wider environment.

Ms Shepherd said: “A ground-level alternative to a wider expansive bridge over the rail sidings will be less environmentally damaging with a much lower carbon footprint and a better use of public money.”

Read again: Villagers furious at flyover bridge plans to link with Didcot

The parish council has suggested that a more direct route between the A4130 in Didcot to the A415 at Culham across the brownfield land owned by RWE, FCC Environment and Hanson, would avoid the rail sidings and would be a much more 'sensible, environmentally, and community friendly route, with potentially fewer technical challenges'.

Some residents in the area are also concerned about noise and pollution from the road and the raised embankment which would cut off Appleford from Sutton Courtenay.

Villagers argue that the road would also harm shared services by limiting access to Appleford station and the Millennium Common nature reserve.

However, a recent survey conducted by Appleford Parish Council confirmed the village was not opposed to the new road or local infrastructure development as long as it maintained a local character and supported what locals saw as Appleford’s peaceful, rural village community.

Ms Shepherd said: “A recent report suggests that the A34 breaches recommended limits of traffic pollution as measured by nitrogen dioxide levels. It would be in everyone’s interest to find a solution to this challenge before this new road adds to the problem.”

The parish council believes its proposed plans are in line with the county’s commitment to the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill, consistent with the aims of Didcot garden town and will improve traffic problems in Abingdon and Didcot.

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