Bridge alterations postponed

and zebra crossing work brought forward.

This is a message from Burford Town Council about the revised plan for the alterations to the bridge, and also about the new pedestrian crossing at the top of The Hill.

Residents and retailers should be aware of the latest developments regarding the Burford Bridge pedestrian improvement works. Following concerns raised about the ‘over-engineering’ of the original bridge pavement proposal — and the planned closure of the bridge by OCC Highways — Burford Town Council (BTC) and Fulbrook Parish Council (FPC) arranged a site visit at the end of February. The meeting was attended by Technical Design Lead and OCC Highways Project Manager and gave both councils the opportunity to set out the strength of feeling against a raised pavement.

The OCC team acknowledged these concerns. The key objections to the raised pavement were: the proposed height of 60mm would not prevent HGVs from mounting it; the reduced width could obstruct wheelchairs, mobility scooters and large buggies; and, given that the current parapet height is below standard, it was stated that a formal risk assessment would be required from both councils.

In response, OCC proposed a revised scheme, which was endorsed by FPC at their meeting on 26th February and by BTC on 4th March. The agreed works comprise:

1. New road markings on the bridge and both approaches, including refreshing the outline of the existing pedestrian area

2. A coloured surface treatment within the pedestrian area on the bridge and both approaches.

3. Cast iron bell bollards, one at either end of the bridge, within the pedestrian area.

The works are expected to be carried out over three overnight shifts under full road closure conditions (estimated 19:00–05:00), with no vehicular or pedestrian access during those hours. A new timeline is being established — as temporary road closures require a minimum 12-week application period, the earliest start is likely to be June 2026.

It should be noted that this is an OCC project, funded by OCC, and they retain final say on both the scope and timing of the works.

What is planned during the 7^th to 13^th April timeframe is the creation of the zebra crossing on the A361 at the top of the hill. As the TTRO for a closure is still valid, OCC want to go ahead at a minimum, removal of the traffic island associated with installation of the new zebra crossing.  Highways are seeking advice as to whether this can be carried out overnight to minimise the impact of the road closure and to ascertain how many nights would be required if feasible. Following this, paving and installation of beacons and associated road markings could be carried out using just two-way temporary traffic signals to maintain access and minimise disruption. 

We are grateful for all the hard work by OCC Highways, to get to where we are now, with a design to improve safety of pedestrians across the Burford Bridge and new Zebra crossing on the top of The Hill. As soon as we have further news we will let you know by updating on the Burford Town Council website and The Bridge Magazine.

The aerial photo of the bridge was sent to us some years ago by the late Tony Pickings