The Headington Subway
Why are there ducks under the Headington subway?
Because only a chicken is quackers enough to cross the road
Above: two people stand on the
north side of the London Road
watching a section subway being lowered into place, winter 1969/1970
The Headington subway was opened in 1970, and was not without controversy from the beginning: Liberal Councillor Bryan Miles was quoted as saying that "99 people out of 100" did not want it. But subsequently traffic (especially buses) greatly increased, and for forty years it offered a safe way for the very young and the elderly to cross the dangerous London Road in their own time.
In 2002 it was cheered up with paintings, which were officially "opened" by the Lord Mayor of Oxford and local artist Korky Paul at a champagne breakfast on Saturday 22 June 2002.
A consultation on the future of the Headington subway was taken by the county council in spring 2009. Only 419 people responded, but of these 58% wanted to get rid of the subway, and its fate was sealed.
Despite a "Save Our Subway" campaign by the city councillors for Headington ward, and valiant protests led by Mick Haines, who took a 2,411-signature petition to Downing Street, the county council closed the subway in May 2010 and filled it in as part of the London Road improvements.
Photographs:
Official opening of the subway art
The paintings sinking as the subway is filled in
The perils of the temporary pelican crossing
Oxford Mail reports on the subway
- 11 November 1999: "Unpopular subway may have the chop"
- 13 June 2001: "Offenders help brighten subway"
- 2 June 2007: "Headington subway to be filled in"
- 7 June 2007: "Subway blues at road plan"
- 16 March 2009: "Doomed subway is 'well used' "
- 31 August 2009: "Subway murals threatened by £3m scheme"
- 13 July 2009: "Subway appeal goes to Downing Street"
- 24 January 2010: "Save our subway group backed by 3,600"
- 2 March 2010: "New front in Headington subway battle"
- 25 May 2010: "Battle to save subway is over"
London Road was made one-way and traffic diverted down Windmill Road
while the subway was being installed in 1969
