Funding for Milton Interchange approved

A scheme to improve the Milton Interchange near Didcot in Oxfordshire has received £5 million worth of funding from the Department for Transport.

The leader of Oxfordshire County Council Ian Hudspeth has welcomed the news.

He said: “This is great news which has positive implications for the local economy. The county council has championed this scheme in order to enhance accessibility to Science Vale and deliver the Enterprise Zone.

“We will now speak with the Highways Agency in order to secure work which I believe will see one of the county’s major traffic ‘pinch points’ become known for innovation, accessibility and success.”

The Department for Transport has put forward £5 million of the £11m needed to carry out the improvements which include converting the current junction - where the roads from Didcot, Milton Park, Harwell and Wantage join the A34 -  into a 'hamburger' style roundabout.

This will support the development of new employment opportunities in the Science Vale UK Enterprise Zone and new housing in the Didcot, Wantage and Grove areas.

The £11m million scheme will also be supported by developer contributions held by the county council and by funds from the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership.

Adrian Shooter, chairman of Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership, added: “Improving access to both Milton Park and Harwell Oxford will make an important contribution to delivering increased employment in the Enterprise Zone.”