Oxfordshire County Council has confirmed an inactive pelican crossing on a busy Banbury road will become operational within the next few weeks.

The crossing, located north of Duke’s Meadow Drive on Warwick Road, connects the Hanwell Chase estate to the Roman Fields estate and local amenities.

It was constructed as part of the Roman Fields development but has remained switched off since at least March.

Cllr Andrew Crichton, who represents Banbury Hardwick on Oxfordshire County Council, said local residents had waited more than four years for a safer way to cross this section of Warwick Road.

Cllr Andrew Crichton has been campaigning for the pelican crossing on Warwick Road to become operational.

placeholder image — Cllr Andrew Crichton has been campaigning for the pelican crossing on Warwick Road to become operational.

He said: “No pedestrian crossing was ever included as part of the plans for the Hanwell Chase estate, and consequently residents had to wait until the Bovis Roman Fields development was built to get a proper crossing.

“That wait is hopefully nearly over, and despite this crossing sitting there unusable since at least March, it looks like it should be usable soon.

“Thank you to Bovis and OCC officers for finally making this happen.”

Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport, Cllr Gareth Epps, confirmed at Tuesday’s full council meeting that the crossing on Warwick Road has now been inspected and should become operational once a “small number of remedial works” have been completed.

Cllr Epps said: “These have been raised with the developer, and we are awaiting confirmation of when the necessary works will be completed.

“Subject to completion of these outstanding works, it is anticipated that the crossing will be commissioned and brought into operation within the coming weeks.”