Following a five-year suspension, Oxfordshire County Council has restarted the design and planning process for the next phase of the north-west Bicester strategic link road.
The council has commissioned initial design work, environmental and technical assessments, and the preparation of a new planning application.
The road was placed on hold in 2021 while its costs and contribution to housing delivery were reviewed.
That pause enabled additional homes to be constructed and more Section 106 funding to be obtained from developers.
The proposed route would connect the A4095 near Middleton Stoney Road and Howes Lane with Lords Lane.
It would use a railway underbridge that was finished in 2021.
The council expects the preliminary design to be ready in spring 2027.
A planning submission is also due that spring, with a decision expected during winter 2027.
Development in north-west Bicester is planned to include around 6,000 homes and at least 3,500 jobs.
The road is also intended to divert traffic from existing residential areas.
Bicester Bike Users’ Group welcomed the council’s decision to advance the project but maintained that the proposals require further design work.
The group said the scheme should account for every road user and called for improvements to the junctions.
It also argued that walking and cycling provision should be considered separately because users travel at different speeds.
Distinct crossing arrangements for pedestrians and bicycle users could raise capacity and reduce waiting times for everyone using the road, including drivers.
Councillor Rachel Mallows described the road as necessary and said it should have been built more than ten years earlier.
She welcomed its return to the programme.
In the longer term, she said councils and government should establish how infrastructure can be delivered before development begins.
According to the council, the proposals cover walking, wheeling and cycling facilities, bus infrastructure and highway improvements.
The initial phase was granted planning consent in 2019 and completed in 2021.
That work included a railway underbridge and a separate underpass for pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.
Completion of the entire route remains dependent on planning consent, detailed design work, land agreements, coordination with partner organisations and the availability of funding.