Permit Dispute Erupts After Utility Roadworks Trigger A40 Traffic Chaos

Oxfordshire County Council has launched enforcement action against Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks over the closure of a key A40 slip road, with the utility insisting it had approval for the works.

A disagreement has emerged between Oxfordshire County Council and Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) over traffic management during roadworks on the A40, with the authority claiming the utility carried out a road closure without the required permit.

The dispute centres on the closure of a busy slip road at Marston, where highway works prompted significant congestion and diverted traffic through nearby rural communities.

While the council alleges the closure was implemented without valid authorisation, SSEN maintains the traffic management arrangements had been agreed in advance with council representatives.

Potential Costs Could Exceed £60,000

The council has issued SSEN with a £1,000 Fixed Penalty Notice for an alleged permit breach—the maximum available under the relevant legislation.

In addition, the utility could face charges of up to £60,000 through Oxfordshire's recently introduced Lane Rental Scheme, which allows the authority to levy daily charges on roadworks affecting the county's busiest routes.

Introduced in May 2026, the scheme is designed to encourage utilities and contractors to complete works more efficiently and minimise disruption to motorists, public transport and local businesses.

Council Criticises Closure

According to Oxfordshire County Council, the closure caused significant traffic disruption, with vehicles diverted through the villages of Elsfield and Woodeaton, placing additional pressure on roads not intended to carry high traffic volumes.

Council Leader Tim Bearder described the situation as unacceptable, arguing the closure had been introduced without the authority's agreement.

He said the resulting diversion had forced heavy goods vehicles, buses and large volumes of traffic onto narrow rural roads, creating avoidable disruption for local residents.

The council says it has made clear to the utility that similar situations should not be repeated.

SSEN Rejects Allegations

SSEN has strongly disputed the council's version of events.

The electricity network operator says permission to close the slip road was agreed with Oxfordshire County Council representatives at the end of June after safety concerns emerged on site.

According to the company, some drivers had been carrying out illegal manoeuvres to bypass an existing lane closure on the main carriageway, creating a risk to both road users and the workforce delivering the infrastructure upgrade.

The utility says closing the slip road was considered the safest solution under the circumstances.

SSEN also confirmed that retrospective approval for the closure was later submitted and subsequently granted by the council.

Balancing Safety and Network Disruption

The dispute highlights the continuing challenge facing highway authorities and utility companies as they seek to balance essential infrastructure upgrades with minimising disruption to the travelling public.

Lane rental schemes are increasingly being adopted by local authorities to incentivise quicker delivery of roadworks, particularly on heavily trafficked routes where prolonged closures can have significant economic and social impacts.

However, the case also illustrates the operational challenges that can arise when traffic management arrangements need to change quickly in response to safety risks on live worksites.

The A40 works were completed on 2 August, although discussions between the council and SSEN regarding the enforcement action and associated charges are expected to continue.