Earlier in March the government announced a massive \u00a3200 million cu<\/a>t<\/a> to the active travel budget in England. This two-thirds cut to investment in safer walking and cycling is a backward move that is in no-one\u2019s interest. People travelling by foot and by bike reduce congestion<\/a> on the roads. They also save 2.5 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions every year.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government has also delayed its roads programme. Many schemes will not be taken forward before 2030, if at all. This follows on from the Welsh government\u2019s decision to halt all its major new roads schemes. Most local authorities also plan to ditch or review major road projects due to rising costs, according to a County Councils Network (CCN) survey<\/a>. Inflation is hitting budgets. Road construction costs have risen by up to 25%.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Putting what money is available into better road maintenance and fixing the potholes makes good sense.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n With all this in mind it is astonishing that Oxfordshire County Council is pushing ahead with plans to spend over \u00a3296 million on one new road scheme. The \u2018HIF1\u2019 scheme proposes a 9-mile road from the A34 at Milton through to the A415 near Clifton Hampden and the A4074 (the Oxford\u2013Reading road). The scheme would affect all villages along its route. Five local parish councils oppose the plan, as do the Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trusts (BBOWT), the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), and other groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The government\u2019s Housing Infrastructure Fund is providing \u00a3240 million but the County Council will need to borrow a further \u00a330 million, with heavy interest fees, paid for by our council taxes. The remaining \u00a326 million will come from local funds that could be spent in better ways. The government funds have to be spent by March 2026 \u2013 any extra costs after this will also be borne by council funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Major road schemes often go well over budget. Department for Transport figures show that only 30% of road projects are able to keep to their budget (with a 9% or less overrun). The council could well run out of money for the project. It\u2019s unsurprising that many councillors are concerned that this is being pushed through with little debate. Around \u00a3160 million \u2013 over half the budget \u2013 would go on a massive new bridge and viaduct connecting Appleford and Culham \u2013 hardly a major through-route.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRoads programme on hold<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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So why not stop HIF1?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How is the project funded?<\/h2>\n\n\n
![\"Mock](\"https:\/\/www.cyclox.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/HIF-visual_Ox-County-Council-300x166.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nWhy build the road at all?<\/h2>\n\n\n
![\"Poster](\"https:\/\/www.cyclox.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/HIF-1-poster-300x173.jpg\")
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