Construction is due to begin in early May on a long-planned overhaul of Witney High Street and Market Square, with Oxfordshire County Council promising wider pavements, new seating, extra planting and safer crossings.
The project is intended to make the town centre easier to use for people walking, wheeling and cycling, while also keeping access for businesses, buses, blue badge holders and some taxis. The county council says the works will start in early May 2026 and are scheduled to finish in November 2026, with a public drop-in event on Wednesday 29 April from 2pm to 7pm at Witney Corn Exchange for anyone who wants to see the final designs and construction plans.
What will change on Witney High Street?
The final scheme includes:
- new seating areas, trees and planting
- resurfacing of around 2,000 square metres of existing footway
- creation of more than 1,000 square metres of new footway space
- 10 marked disabled parking bays
- flexible loading arrangements for town centre businesses
- an additional bus stop for community transport
- a revised arrangement at the High Street / Welch Way junction, including a central island to help cyclists turning right
- a final phase of automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras to help enforce vehicle restrictions on the High Street and Market Square.
The council says the new paving and public realm work is designed to complement the historic character of the town centre while making it easier for people to spend time there.
Why now?
The project has been in development for several years and has gone through multiple rounds of engagement and consultation. Oxfordshire County Council says it first secured £1.98 million from the government’s active travel fund, then returned to local people and businesses in 2023, 2024 and again in 2025 to refine the design.
The county council’s delivery page says rising labour and materials costs meant the scheme needed further funding, with an extra £1,875,937 secured from active travel funding. The revised overall budget is now £4.4 million, made up of £2.869 million from Active Travel England, £1.495 million from Oxfordshire County Council’s capital programme, and £40,000 in developer contributions.
The final package of measures was approved by the Cabinet Member for Transport Management in March 2026.
How will the works affect traffic and access?
Construction will be carried out in phases.
The first phase will focus on the western side of the High Street and Market Square, with traffic restricted to southbound only. Later, work will switch to the eastern side, when traffic will be restricted to northbound only between Corn Street and Welch Way. The council says most of the work will take place in the footway areas.
Pedestrian access, including for people using wheelchairs or mobility aids, will be maintained throughout, and the council says shops, food outlets and businesses will remain accessible. An on-site public liaison officer will be available during the works, and businesses in the scheme area are being invited to discuss access needs directly with contractor Galliford Try.
What about parking, buses and taxis?
The finished scheme will provide 10 disabled parking spaces, which the council says is fewer than one earlier design option but still more than the six bays available before the pandemic. Council documents say the final number was reduced from a previously proposed 12 in order to widen footways and improve pedestrian safety, after accessibility and road safety audits found the earlier temporary arrangement was substandard.
During the construction period, some loading areas and disabled parking bays may be temporarily unavailable, although the council says alternative arrangements will be communicated to businesses. The council also says Woolgate car park and Marriotts Walk will remain available for shoppers, though a site compound will take over Zone G of Woolgate and some long-stay bays will be relocated.
Bus stops and taxi ranks will be kept in place where possible, but some phases will require bus stops to move to Langdale Gate and Welch Way, while the taxi rank may move temporarily outside The Angel Inn. Once the scheme is complete, taxi access to the shared space will be allowed after 5pm on weekdays and after 2pm on Saturdays, with a 16-metre taxi bay provided at all times.
How does this fit with the existing vehicle restrictions?
The town centre traffic restrictions are not new. Council papers say a temporary motor traffic restriction was first introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic to help social distancing and improve access, and that the restriction was later made permanent in 2021. The current project is designed to support and improve that arrangement rather than replace it. Access through the restricted area will continue for buses, taxis, blue badge holders and vehicles needing property access for loading and unloading.
The final phase of the 2026 works will be the installation of ANPR cameras and additional signs so drivers are clearly warned before entering the restricted area. The council says the aim is to reduce the number of non-exempt vehicles going through the High Street and Market Square and make the town centre “more pleasant” for people using it on foot.
At a glance
| Detail | Information |
| Project | Witney High Street and Market Square improvements |
| Start | Early May 2026 |
| Completion | November 2026 |
| Main benefits | Wider pavements, new seating, planting, safer crossings |
| New disabled bays | 10 |
| Parking during works | Woolgate and Marriotts Walk remain available |
| Drop-in event | Wednesday 29 April, 2pm–7pm, Witney Corn Exchange |
| Final phase | Installation of ANPR cameras |
FAQs
When do the Witney High Street works start?
The council says construction is due to begin in early May 2026.
How long will the works last?
The current timetable shows the project running through to November 2026.
Will shops stay open during the works?
Yes. The council says access to shops, cafés and other businesses will be maintained throughout construction.
Will Witney High Street still allow buses and taxis?
Yes. Buses will continue to be allowed through the restriction, and taxis will be allowed into the shared space after set times, with a permanent 16-metre taxi bay.
Where can I find out more before work starts?
The council is holding a public information event at Witney Corn Exchange on 29 April from 2pm to 7pm.
