THE stretches of Oxfordshire's roads which drivers should steer most clear of to avoid getting caught in traffic have been revealed in new figures.

The Department for Transport has released its latest statistics on average speeds and delays on England’s major routes.

With the data showing that traffic is becoming more sluggish across the nation, car insurer the RAC says drivers will be frustrated but not surprised.

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According to the figures, in 2019 drivers in Oxfordshire travelled at a mere 49.1mph on average on part of the A43 northbound just north of Bicester, between the B4100 junction at Baynards Green and A421 at Juniper Hill.

It was the lowest speed recorded on any section of major road in the county, and slower than the average of 49.4mph a year earlier.

Witney Gazette:

At the other end of the scale, the fastest traffic in Oxfordshire last year was recorded on the M40 at Junction 8A near Wheatley – an average of 75.6mph.

The figures also show that the places where road users faced the longest delays were:

  • A43 northbound at a minor junction between B4100 and A421
  • A43 northbound between B4100 and A421

Drivers were held up on part of these by 21.8 seconds per mile on average, compared to the pace they would have made if travelling at the speed limit.

Across England’s major roads, the average speed recorded last year was 58.8mph, down from 59.4 mph in 2017.

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Meanwhile, delays crept up over the period to an average of 9.5 seconds per mile.

Rod Dennis, a spokesman for car insurance company RAC said: "Drivers will find it frustrating, but perhaps not surprising, that average speeds on England’s major roads are reducing.

"RAC research shows that in many parts of the country drivers are becoming more, not less dependent on their cars for the journeys they need to make, and it’s also the case that the network is now carrying record levels of road traffic.

Witney Gazette:

"If you also factor in the impact of roadworks currently affecting so many busy stretches, such as on the M1 and M4, you have the perfect combination of conditions that will lead to slower traffic speeds."

The government said it was 'determined to improve journeys' for drivers and was investing billions in national road upgrades.

A Department for Transport spokeswoman said: "This government is determined to improve journeys for all motorists, which is why we’re investing nearly £29 billion to reduce congestion on our roads up to 2025.

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"Looking to the future, our £2.5 billion Transforming Cities Fund will help develop innovative public transport projects, while the tripling of our investment per head in cycling and walking since 2010 is encouraging people to try other ways of getting around – helping create less congested towns and cities."

Despite this pledge, the government did this month pause all work on developing the much-hyped Oxford Cambridge Expressway, which could have seen stretches of the A34 widened in Oxfordshire and aimed to improve traffic flow.