VILLAGESCombe
Lots of good ideas from the Combe community
New walking routes in Blenheim, cycle routes between Combe and
Stonesfield, the upgrade of the bridleway from Swan Hill bridge over the
Evenlode up to Park Lane as a quick and convenient route to Hanborough
Railway Station, and many more. Some will be tricky, others will
be quick wins.
Check them out here
Combe - An Overview
Combe
has a range of transport links, including a weekday train service from
Combe Halt (one train in each direction) and (except on Sundays) a bus
service to Oxford and, in the other direction, to Charlbury. Many
footpaths connect the village to the nearby villages of Long Hanborough,
Stonesfield, North Leigh and to Woodstock. There is easy access to
Blenheim Park (through Combe Gate to the east of the village) and to the
Roman villa at North Leigh and the River Evenlode. In addition there are
a number of bridleways.
Transport priorities
Speeding and traffic volume
From September 2022 Combe has had a 20-mile per hour speed limit in the village to reduce speeding and to improve safety. The village has seen increasing volumes – and speed – of traffic in recent years, especially as local A-roads (the A4095, A40 and A44) become more clogged and drivers seek cut-throughs to avoid traffic jams. Speed indicator devices were installed at two entry points to the village (Akeman Street and Stonesfield Road) in November 2020 and the Parish Council monitors the traffic data from the devices monthly (see https://combepc.org/).
Cycling
Combe wants to encourage reduced car
usage both for environmental and health benefits. Safer off-road cycle
routes, particularly to Hanborough Station, are needed and would be
beneficial in helping car users in other local villages to switch to
their bikes.
Many
residents of Combe cycle, both for pleasure and to commute to work,
especially to our local train stations at Combe Halt and Hanborough.
There are no dedicated cycle paths and the sides of the roads are poorly
maintained, often with potholes or crumbling surfaces. Many roads, such
as Swan Hill, are steep and narrow with cars speeding in both
directions. Once cyclists reach Long Hanborough the cycle path to
Hanborough Station is also narrow and not well maintained; it is not
easily – or safely – shared with pedestrians.
During the pandemic local schoolchildren
participated in the successful pilot cycling scheme that allowed access
to safer school routes
via Blenheim.