Osney Weir A and Weir B improvements
Updated 11 March 2015
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The Osney weir complex is located in Oxford, near the A420 road bridge in Osney.
At the complex there are six sets of weirs. Weirs A and B have almost 70 per cent of the total water passing through them and they need repairing.
Osney Weir B
Weir B construction works are successfully complete. The Environment Agency has replaced the three vertical lift (or ‘buck’) gates with a new, mechanically operated tilting gate. This new gate will sit in the river at all times. As well as being less visible, it will give better control over the amount of water passing through the weir.
The Environment Agency worked in partnership with Osney Lock Hydro Ltd, because they are building a hydropower scheme next to the weir. It was more efficient to work together because of the joint wall between the two schemes.
More information on the Osney Lock Hydro scheme can be found on the Osney Lock Hydro website.
Osney Weir A
Weir A construction works are nearly complete. The Environment Agency has replaced the five badly corroded manually-operated radial gates, the footbridge and the steel frames that support both the gates and the footbridge over the weir.
The new weir radial gates are now operational and allow water to pass through the weir. The temporary footbridge, which was installed for the works, gives access along the Thames Path.
To complete the construction works, the Environment Agency will:
- surface the footpath
- install a hand railing on the approaches to the new footbridge
- install timber fenders to the newly installed steel guard piles
- cut down old redundant structures to river bed level
- repair the river bank.
Once these works are complete, they will remove the temporary footbridge and open the new footbridge across the weir.
Community engagement
On Wednesday 13 February, the Environment Agency held a public drop-in at West Oxford Community Centre, Botley Road, Oxford.
Contact
If you would like to sign up for email updates, or receive the environmental report, please email: weirimprovements@environment-agency.gov.uk