Benson Relief Road
A scheme to provide an alternative route from the A4074 and B4009 to the north of Benson village.
Work completed
Construction work for the council’s section of the Benson relief road began in November 2023 and was completed in December 2024. This section, which connects to Oxford Road, was opened to traffic on 18 December 2024.
About the improvements
The Benson Relief Road provides the new housing developments north of Benson village with direct access to the A4074 (Elms Bridge Roundabout) and B4009 (west of Braze Lane).
Why did we invest here
The Benson area has seen and will continue to see significant housing growth.
Investment by the council was needed, so that the transport network could meet the demands that will be placed upon it in the future.
The scheme will deliver the following:
- Help to unlock development sites to the north of Benson village along the new route, and support the delivery of around 600 new homes
- Reduce congestion through Benson village via an alternative route from the A4074 and B4009
- Capacity improvements at the A4074 / Church Road junction
- Provide high-quality pedestrian/cycle infrastructure
- Improve air quality
What was delivered
The BEN1 section of the Benson Relief Road has been constructed and opened by the county council (blue line) and Cala Homes (green line) respectively. The BEN2, BEN3 and BEN4 sections will be constructed and opened by housing developers, with construction expected to commence during 2026.
The image shows the four housing developments and the Benson Relief Road route.
The completed and opened section of the scheme (BEN1 in the image) includes a 3m wide shared footway / cycleway, together with crossing facilities for pedestrians and cyclists.
Timescales
| Activity | Work Commence | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Flood compensation area and archaeology work | November 2023 | Complete |
| Council commences construction of its section of BEN1 | February 2024 | Complete |
| Council’s section of BEN1 opened | December 2024 | Complete |
| Housing developers construct (and open) BEN2, BEN3 and BEN4 | Expected 2026 (subject to developer timescales) | Around 18 months |
Contact us
If you would like to know more, you can contact us by email: bensonrrproject@oxfordshire.gov.uk