Residents have renamed their Banbury street 'Rat Run Road' in protest at inaction over repair

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Residents have renamed their Banbury street 'Rat Run Road' in protest at delays in its repair.

Conservative councillors, Cllr Kieron Mallon (Easington) and Cllr Eddie Reeves (Calthorpe) – who represent the area - were pictured with the latest residents’ sign on Easington Road. The previous version was called Fix My Street.

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The residents have grown weary of waiting for the district council to repair the official road sign and of the street being used as a rat run and the councillors are highlighting their concerns.

They have accused Oxfordshire County Council (OCC) of concentrating on traffic issues in Oxford rather than the county’s second town, Banbury.

Cllr Kieron Mallon, left, and Cllr Eddie Reeves with their new sign for Easington RoadCllr Kieron Mallon, left, and Cllr Eddie Reeves with their new sign for Easington Road
Cllr Kieron Mallon, left, and Cllr Eddie Reeves with their new sign for Easington Road

Easington Road is a well-used cut-through between Bloxham Road and Horton View. It allows motorists to avoid two sets of traffic lights at Bloxham Road and Concord Avenue when they are trying to reach Oxford Road. It also acts a parking area for parents delivering and collecting pupils from Harriers Ground Primary School.

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The two councillors have consistently asked OCC for a proper review of traffic management in this area.

Mr Mallon said: “I can never remember a time when a street sign has been left in such poor repair.

“How could you blame residents for taking it upon themselves to fix the problem and raise an important local issue in the process? I’ve lost count of the number of times I have raised concerns over local traffic, particularly at peak school times, and residents have – quite rightly – had enough of waiting.

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“Labour and LibDem councillors on OCC continue to focus on traffic problems in Oxford at the expense of tackling issues here in Banbury. God bless the British sense of humour for stepping into the breach!”

Mr Reeves, Leader of the Opposition on both Cherwell District Council (CDC) and OCC, said: “Residents have reported the sign as broken. I have reported it too, yet nothing has been done by CDC to fix it, nor by OCC on local traffic, which is acute at peak school times.

“The Great British sense of humour has tackled the figurative problem here but the actual problems stand to be fixed.

“It’s time for LibDem councillors running public services to do the basics better and stop pontificating on ruinously expensive, grandiose schemes in Oxford at the expense of good local government.”

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