Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, and the University of Oxford have announced plans to build expansive new walking and cycling routes in the Greenways plan. The new Greenways would link Oxford to nearby towns and villages, connecting 200,000 residents to the city on traffic-free paths.
The plans include 18 proposed routes, most extending 5 to 8 miles around Oxford. They will involve creating new routes, as well as upgrading and incorporating existing ones. The plans would cover around 60 towns and villages within cycling distance, including Woodstock, Abingdon, and Kidlington.
All routes will be car-free, either through paths next to busy roads, as on Marston Ferry Road, or completely traffic-free paths. One route will go from the Peartree Roundabout at the end of Woodstock Road to Blenheim Palace.
Oxford University told Cherwell: “The University keenly supports the Oxford Greenways Masterplan, which will help create a better, more livable city for everyone”, adding “we are committed to helping our staff and students commute… in a healthy, sustainable way”. Between 2023 and 2024, the University committed £33,000 to the project.
Oxford University has maintained its top position in the Times Higher Education rankings globally for its 11th consecutive year. However, in certain categories its lead has narrowed, with MIT outperforming Oxford on citation impact and research strength. When announcing the plans earlier this month, the vice-chancellor emphasised the importance of attracting research talent.
The University has also been building a growing number of facilities outside the centre of the city, including the Oxford University Science Park in Begbroke, which would receive better traffic-free connections if proposed routes were to be implemented. There are plans to build 1,800 new homes near Begbroke, and the plans would make commuting to the centre more feasible.
While the concepts of each route have been agreed, construction is expected to be delivered in stages, dependent on investments from the council and government as well as developer contributions and partnerships.
