A MAJOR road previously classed as one of the most dangerous in the UK has been given a series of safety improvements, including an Oxfordshire first.

The A361 between Banbury and Chipping Norton was previously categorised as one of the 50 most dangerous A-road sections.

Oxfordshire County Council has started work on the £4m A361 Safety Improvements Project, with funding from the Department for Transport.

Improvements were completed at the end of May, with the installation of a brand new Toucan crossing, south of Ell’s Lane, and a glowing 2.5m wide, over a mile long, shared use path.

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Resurfaced stretches of road have been joined by the new high tech innovations.

For the first time in Oxfordshire, revolutionary photoluminescent technology, known as i-glo discs, has been used.

The discs glow brightly throughout the night and use natural light to recharge during the day.

These new discs can glow for up to 10 hours, acting as a path finder at night without the need for additional street lighting, saving money and reducing carbon emissions, whilst allowing cyclists and pedestrians to feel safer.

Flexitact with glowing edges have also been installed at all crossing locations, between Crouch Cottages and Ell’s Lane, to encourage independence and aid the visually impaired during the day and night.

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These facilities are now fully open for the public.

Cabinet member for highway operation and delivery, Liam Walker, said: “I am really happy that we have been able to deliver such an excellent list of safety improvements.

“We now have new facilities and features that not only make things more convenient but, far more importantly, will help to save lives.

“Everyone has worked hard, including council staff and contractors, to get the work completed.

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“Towards the end it has been particularly challenging for the site team.

“The local councillors, communities, road users, schools and businesses have been very patient while the work was being done.”

The road also features new lower speed limits, and improved signing and lining.

Between Banbury and Wykham Lane, the limit has been reduced from 50mph to 40mph, and from 60mph to 50mph in southern sections.

The Pelican crossing between Ell’s Lane and Warriner School is now a Toucan one.

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The carriageway has been resurfaced to improve skid resistance, whilst improvements have been made to surface water drainage, to prevent overflowing.

Improvements to the footway include conversion to a shared use pedestrians and cycleway, in order to allow safe off-road cycling.

Foliage has also been cleared, to improve visibility, particularly at bends.

In total, the county council says improvements will cost £4.135m.

The road previously held a five star International Road Assessment Programme rating.

Following completion of the project, the Road Safety Foundation will re-evaluate the rating.