Closure of B4437 July 8 to July 19

Mon 8 Jul, 18:45

The notices by The Duke pub say the road will be closed from 2.00pm on the 17th  until 4.00am on the19th.

Mon 8 Jul, 18:01

We travelled to Wheatley this morning via Woodstock and there are now a lot of signs in place. So good advance notice for those travelling the route before July 16th. 

From memory, signs indicated road closure would be July 16th to July 18th. 

Mon 8 Jul, 08:53

One.network Oxfordshire (now rebranded as Causeway one.network) shows the closure of  the part of  B4437 by Ditchley Gate, plus the also the stretch of Stonesfield Road that runs past Blenheim, as 17 - 19 July all of the time.

There is a quite separate closure of Akeman Street 8 - 11 July for roadworks, and Akeman Street is then marked as one of the diversion routes on 17 - 19 July. 

Maps and diversion details here: https://one.network/public It is necessary to log in to see the map. Old one.network passwords still work.

Mon 8 Jul, 08:45

You can see the closures and restrictions on the https://one.network/uk/oxfordshire (select next two weeks) and they are for 17th to 19th July including closure of B4437 and Stonesfield road past Ditchley Gate. 

Mon 8 Jul, 08:36

The Oxford Times listed a number of restrictions, including the one originally referred to: 

1 A44 speed limit into Woodstock from Bladon roundabout reduced to 40mph

2 B4437 restrictions (see first post)

3 Langford Lane - bordering the airport

4 A section of A4095 in Bladon  

5 Footpath closures - entire Blenheim estate

We have also been advised by Blenheim that they will not be accepting any deliveries at Park Farm, accessed from the Stonesfield Road, from July 15th. 

Closing identified sections of B4437 for a period makes sense from a security point of view when you consider the area it runs through. For actual extent of closure, I guess it's "Watch for signs". Jul 9 to Jul 19 does seem excessive.

Mon 8 Jul, 08:35

The Oxford Times listed a number of restrictions, including the one originally referred to: 

1 A44 speed limit into Woodstock from Bladon roundabout reduced to 40mph

2 B4437 restrictions (see first post)

3 Langford Lane - bordering the airport

4 A section of A4095 in Bladon  

5 Footpath closures - entire Blenheim estate

We have also been advised by Blenheim that they will not be accepting any deliveries at Park Farm, accessed from the Stonesfield Road, from July 15th. 

Closing identified sections of B4437 for a period makes sense from a security point of view when you consider the area it runs through. For actual extent of closure, I guess it's "Watch for signs". Jul 9 to Jul 19 does seem excessive.

Mon 8 Jul, 08:19 (last edited on Mon 8 Jul, 08:22)

My information was taken from elsewhere on the same website as Michael’s publicnoticeportal.uk/notice/traffic-and-roads/667bf184b56925c5dc30d760 so perhaps the restrictions do apply from the 8th as in the link he posted. It still doesn’t appear to include any actual closure of the B4437.

Mon 8 Jul, 08:03 (last edited on Mon 8 Jul, 08:11)

No doubt someone from Oxfordshire Council will set out precisely what restrictions the Order enabling them will actually mean.

But on this occasion, I'd suggest (as a regular user of buses to Oxford and Woodstock likely to be hit by the next week's restrictions) we cut a bit more slack than usual:

This isn't yet another Marlborough family attempt to raise a few quid by running a crowd-attracting concert. It's the first full meeting of the European Political Community, requiring the attendance of the Head of Government (or senior representative) of 47 European states. A terrorist's (or attention-seeker's) wet dream - and detailed organisation's not helped by the fact that the host government's only been in power since Friday morning,  and the next most sensitive ally's government is still coming to terms with yesterday's elections.

So the specific requirements of senior attendees will inevitably still be getting thrashed out. And our needs to get a bus to Woodstock, or walk through Blenheim, will inevitably be seen as less important in Whitehall and Paris than deciding what has to be done (then installing the necessary kit and people) to ensure the safety of Sir Keir, whoever ends up the next day as French PM and their peers in the other 45 countries attending.

Anyway: I suspect that my (and everyone else's) life next weekend is going to be less disrupted by a few road closures than by the fleets of helicopters  making a din round here without any kind of prior warning from our County Council.  

Of course, some might find it a mild consolation that the Dean resident who was Foreign Secretary till July 5 (and so was ultimately responsible for all this) will probably be as affected by it as the rest of us - and lost his job on Friday.

Mon 8 Jul, 07:57 (last edited on Mon 8 Jul, 08:02)

I’ve found a copy of the County Council’s traffic order relating to these restrictions (see below). It looks like 8 July was the date of the notice and the restrictions only come into force on the 17th. Also they only apply to stopping, waiting or parking and not driving.

Notice of Temporary Traffic Order Notice of Temporary Traffic Order

A44 Bladon -Woodstock- Wootton Prohibition of Stopping & Parking - Clearway Date of Order: 8 July 2024

Coming into force: 17 July 2024 This Order is being introduced in the interests of public safety during a high-profile event at Blenheim Palace being held on 18 July 2024.

The effect of the Order is to temporarily prohibit vehicles from waiting/parking/loading from 00:01hrs from 17 July to 23:59hrs to 18th July on the A44, from Bladon roundabout to approximately 100m northwest of the junction with the B4437 (Duke of Marlborough PH). Existing formally marked parking/loading bays and bus stops in Woodstock town will not be affected.

The order will run in conjunction with an Anti-Terror Traffic Regulation Order giving Thames Valley Police further powers regarding safety, control & protection and removal of obstructions.

Appropriate signs will be displayed to indicate when the prohibition is in force. Exemptions are included for police, fire and ambulance services and for the works. This Order will remain in force for a maximum period of 18 months or until the event is completed whichever is the sooner. (Ref LEW)

Traffic Regulations Team for the Director for Environment and Place, County Hall, Oxford OX1 1ND. Telephone: 0345 310 1111.

Sun 7 Jul, 22:41

Many thanks for posting this, Janet - I haven't seen any warnings elsewhere.  But are they really saying that for a one-day conference the road needs to be shut for 10 days beforehand and 1 day afterwards??

Sun 7 Jul, 18:28

Happened to see this information in Oxford Times this week, tho' not a section I usually read, but is likely to affect a significant number of Charlbury residents.

The European Political Community Conference is to be hosted by the Prime Minister at Blenheim on July 18th. 

"For public safety and protection the high security event will be subject of numerous prohibitions and restrictions affecting footpaths and roads between July 8 and July 19. 

No driving or waiting and unloading - B4437 from A44 junction to Ditchley Gate continuing west into Stonesfield Road to the junction with Aleman Streetand northwest along B4437 to Stonesfield Riding."

So it appears that the B4437 will not be available for travel to Woodstock and Oxford and beyond. Apparently signs will be displayed and alternative routes indicated - so more signs added to Wilderness signs.