Sir, While welcoming news of changes to bus times for the planned closure of the A338 between the Sainsbury and Mably Way roundabouts at Wantage (Herald, October 20) as helpful if/when the road is closed, it wasn’t closed as expected last week, but partial closure and single-file traffic near the Sainsbury’s roundabout caused many problems for drivers.
Information about what is planned for the regular buses on the Wantage-Grove “loop” would probably be of more use to more people who rely on this service to get to and from Wantage town centre and/or the Mably Way health centre.
The closure of Oxford Road as proposed for five or six weeks will turn Wantage Village Road- Harcourt Road-Harcourt Way into a cul-de-sac with no exit at its western end and with restricted turning areas for drivers who may not be aware of this problem.
The buses on which many people from The Chestnuts and the housing estates off this part of the route are highly dependent will have no easy access to continue serving this area, so what has been planned to cater for the needs of many elderly people in the Charlton area?
I trust the highways authority has also planned to give drivers advance warning on the A417 approaches to Wantage, well before the Lord Nelson roundabout, that there is no through-road to link with the Oxford Road either through Charlton Village Road or Seesen Way, otherwise, pessimistically, as usual, I can foresee more traffic chaos resulting.
I must say that if the resulting reconstruction of the A338 matches the work carried out in Wallingford Street, it will be a job well done. If only all Wantage roads were as good — but maybe in time.
Jack Loftin Charlton Village Road Wantage
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