UK's ‘most dangerous roundabout for cyclists’ set for improvement

Oxfordshire County Council has said that work will take place at The Plain junction later this month to improve safety for cyclists (opens in new tab) after an Oxford University scientist was killed in a collision in March.

The Plain junction has been branded (opens in new tab) as one of the "most dangerous roundabouts for cyclists” in the entire United Kingdom. 

Cyclist Dr Ling Felce was hit by a lorry driven by an uninsured and unqualified driver in March at The Plain. Robert Whiting, 40, was jailed for eight years (opens in new tab) in September for causing Dr Felce’s death. 

As well as the death of Dr Felce, multiple other cyclists have been killed (opens in new tab) on the streets of Oxfordshire in recent months. Oxfordshire County Council has been exploring ways of improving safety at the major junction in the city in light of the recent spate of incidents. 

The various planned improvements (opens in new tab) at The Plain include amendments to road markings and traffic signs, installation of road studs, bollards and cycle stands, installing light cycle lane segregation units and vegetation clearance. 

Works will begin on 21 November and are predicted to finish by 25 November.

The council said that approximately 12,000 journeys by bike are made per day at The Plain during term time at the University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes University.

The series of recent road tragedies also prompted the council, in June, to adopt its vision zero strategy - an ambition to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries in the city by 2050. 

Councillor Andrew Gant, Oxfordshire county council’s cabinet member for highways management said: “We have spent a considerable amount of time investigating ways of improving safety at The Plain roundabout. These changes were drawn up in collaboration with cycling groups and we are grateful for their help in this process.

“Our commitment to Vision Zero means we will continue to work with local cycling groups to help ensure new cycling infrastructure is designed and delivered to maximise safety. We want people to feel safe and secure when travelling around the city and county by bike and it’s clear that we need to continue to improve.”