The Parish Council is aware that the closure of Conduit Lane has been a source of frustration for residents. We’re regularly in touch with Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) for updates and have just been informed that work will be carried out imminently to make the lane safe for use until the critical repairs can be scheduled.
Conduit Lane has been closed due to a section of the wall being deemed at risk of collapse. As the wall and the property it is attached to are Grade II listed, specialists are required to carry out this work. These have proven challenging to contract for the work.
Until such time as the full repair can be made, OCC has now placed interlocking concrete blocks alongside the wall to both prevent access to and protect the public from any failure of the remaining wall. This has allowed the lane to be re-opened for public use, albeit it at a reduced width. It is estimated that the narrower path will still be wide enough for wheelchairs and buggies.
Our County Council contact, Hugh Potter, Group Manager for Countryside Operations & Volunteer Coordination in the Environment & Place department, has thanked residents for their patience and recognises the frustration that local people feel. He regrets that the specialist nature of the repairs has resulted in the delays with finding the right contractors to complete the work.
It is anticipated that the re-opening with reinforcement from the concrete blocks will be imminent and should be in place by the time you read this article. We will keep residents informed of any changes and update on the eventual scheduling of the repair work when we have further information.