Limited access to return
The planned reopening covers the carriageway farther from the damaged building, between the George Street and Bridge Street junctions. The county council said safety advice supported that step, though restrictions would remain on some right turns into Lower Cherwell Street and the Morrisons gas station.
The A4260 route has been fully closed since October 21, when an apartment building under construction and scaffolding both partially collapsed. Traffic has been diverted from one of Banbury's busiest junctions, and residents have described widespread congestion and lengthy delays on social media, including around Banbury Cross.
Full access will depend on further information from Cherwell District Council and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the county council said. Gareth Epps, the councilor responsible for Oxfordshire's roads, previously said: "We can't afford to take any chances with people's safety."
Two workers hospitalized
Thames Valley Police said nine workers were on the site at the time of the collapse. Two were injured; the other seven were unharmed.
Both injured workers were taken to John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, according to the Oxford Mail. One suffered serious injuries and traveled by ambulance with the Thames Valley Air Ambulance critical care team accompanying him, the Banbury Guardian reported. The second worker had head and leg injuries.
Safety plans under review
The HSE is investigating the collapse and has sent inspectors to the site. It is also considering the site owner's proposal for securing the building and removing materials.
Banbury councilor Ian Harwood said an HSE drone survey had reportedly revealed substantial damage inside the building and continuing safety concerns. According to Harwood, work could not begin without an acceptable method statement from the developer. The HSE had rejected the initial submission and was waiting for a revised version.
The Oxford Mail reported that Thames Valley Police has ended its involvement in the investigation and no longer manages the road closure. The HSE is conducting its own investigation, while Cherwell District Council is responsible for managing the closure.
Questions also remain about responsibility for the development. According to the Oxford Mail, Darlow Hemphill Ltd began the residential and commercial project at 2 Cherwell Street, formerly the Robert Keith Car Sales site. The company subsequently became Darlow Homes (Building) Ltd. As of late October 2026, its registry record showed an active proposal to strike it off, and it remained unclear who was in charge of the building site.
