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'Chaos' as roadworks traffic cuts through hamlet

Alex MeakinJournalist
News imageTokers Green Residents Group The image shows a queue of three cars, then a van, then lorry all in a line on a tight country line. Two cars can be seen coming in the other direction, towards the camera. On both sides there are over grown trees and hedges. The break lights are on and the traffic is not moving. Tokers Green Residents Group
Tokers Green Lane was not built with heavy traffic in mind

Residents in a south Oxfordshire hamlet have said traffic trying to avoid roadworks has turned their lives "upside down".

A closure on the A4074 at Mapledurham over the last two weeks has seen articulated lorries and heavy traffic cutting through its tight roads.

SGN, which is carrying out the emergency gas main repair work, said it was aware some motorists were not following the official diversion.

"We're genuinely sorry for the disruption and inconvenience this caused," a spokesperson said.

Work will restart on the A4074 on Monday as part of efforts to upgrade a 700m section of the network and is expected to last about 15 weeks.

It will feature traffic lights, rather than road closures and a diversion, but residents still fear that it may lead to traffic cutting through to avoid the queues.

Tokers Green resident Amanda Buckley said: "Since the 25th of August our lives have been turned upside down."

"We've had articulated lorries, concrete mixers, all the festival traffic. It's been mayhem, people are afraid to leave their houses because you don't know how long your journey is going to take you."

News imageAmanda stands in the middle of the frame. She is wearing a blur top with white markings and has light blonde hair. She has glasses resting on top of her head. There is a hedge in the background.
Amanda Buckley, who lives in Tokers Green, says the traffic has caused 'mayhem'.

Julie Foxton, who also lives in the hamlet, said: "The damage to the lane has been quite extensive.

"We've lost branches off the trees, people have lost parts of their walls, all sorts of damage to vehicles, I've lost count of the number of wing mirrors that have been reported."

An SGN spokesperson said "We always work closely with the local highways authority to put the most suitable diversion routes in place during road closures."

A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said it would carry out "regular site audits and fortnightly progress meetings" to "ensure SGN remains focused on completing the works safely and within the expected programme".