Harwell Parish Council

16/07/2026

🚧 Temporary Road Works Notice 🚧

We've been advised that road works are currently taking place for the installation of a new raised bellmouth junction, with appropriate street lighting, on the Tyrells close junction on the Wantage Road from 13th July to 7th August.

The Grass corner at the entrance of Westfield has also been fenced off to allow for a temporary compound for welfare and machinery.

The footpath is still accessible from Wantage Road onto Westfield.

Temporary traffic lights will be in operation during this period. Please allow extra time for your journeys and follow the signage on site.

We appreciate your patience while this essential work is carried out. Updates will be shared here if we are made aware of changes to the schedule.
Full Details can be found here: https://one.network/?GB150968180

09/07/2026

📚 Free Information Guides Available at the Village Hall 📚

We’ve got a selection of free information guides available at the Village Hall for anyone who would like one.
There is some really great information included which could be useful for yourself, family or friends.

Please feel free to pop in and help yourself to a copy. They’re available on a first come, first served basis while stocks last.

If you live in Harwell and you’re unable to access the Village Hall but would like a copy, please get in touch with us by email.

Everyone is welcome!

30/06/2026

This is a real honour, and it speaks about the 100% commitment of the Council (collectively) and each Councillor, to work to improve things for all Harwellians. Not perfect, but working to continuously improve. This is also a credit to the Deputy Clerk, and the fine Grounds Maintenance team who show us daily what care, commitment and empathy really mean.

🌟 Congratulations to Bryan Urbick, our Clerk of the Year! Bryan has transformed Harwell Parish Council through his professionalism, integrity and unwavering commitment to serving the community. His leadership has strengthened the council, built trust with residents and inspired colleagues through his mentorship and expertise. Bryan's dedication to raising standards across local government makes him a truly deserving winner—congratulations on this fantastic achievement!

30/06/2026

ROADWORKS: Harwell Link Road

Thames Water will be carrying out works on Harwell Link Road in two phases, starting 13 July.

Phase 1: Approximately halfway up the Link Road, with two way traffic lights in place, running until mid-August.

Phase 2: The section near the roundabout, with multi way traffic lights, running from mid-August until mid-September.

There will be no road closure during these works, but please allow extra time for your journey while the lights are in operation.

With thanks to County Cllr Rebekah Fletcher for helping us confirm these details. We should note that, to our knowledge, no formal TTRO (Temporary Traffic Regulation Order, the official notice a council issues when works will affect a road) has yet been received for this work, though it is listed on the one.network roadworks site.

We will update this post if we receive new or more detailed information.

29/06/2026

🚵 Pumptrack Update

The red run will be closed from lunchtime today (Monday 29th June) while we carry out some maintenance on the track and push up. As mentioned in our previous post, this kind of work is to be expected as part of the normal bedding in process, particularly for a track as popular as this one! We are so grateful to OX Trails and A L Lacy and Sons for supporting the work.

Please respect the barriers and do not use the red run until they have been removed. We'll post an update as soon as it's back open. Thanks for your understanding!

28/06/2026

🚵 Pumptrack maintenance

The blue run is temporarily closed today (Sunday 28th June) for some maintenance after an incredible first week! The track has had a huge amount of use since opening, which is brilliant to see, and we want to make sure it stays in top condition for everyone.

Please respect the barriers and do not use the blue run until they have been removed. It should be back open as normal tomorrow. Thanks for your patience! 🙌

Photo credit: Sam Lacy

27/06/2026

Have you noticed new welcome signs appearing on roads into the North Wessex Downs? We have had a few questions about these.

Much of Harwell sits within the North Wessex Downs National Landscape, and new signage has recently been installed on all major roads entering the area. The signs carry the new National Landscapes logo, introduced in 2023 as part of a rebrand of what were previously known as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs).

The project was coordinated by the North Wessex Downs Landscape Trust working with five highway authorities, including Oxfordshire County Council.

For more about the North Wessex Downs National Landscape and what it means for our area, visit the Landscape Trust website at nwdlt.org.uk.

22/06/2026

https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/26216215.bmx-pump-track-opens-harwell-youngsters-take-bikes/

The brand new, purpose-built BMX pump track has opened in Harwell to the delight of more than 100 young riders who came to try it out.

21/06/2026

Harwell Pump Track+ - the Chair's opening speech

These two photos, both taken by David Marsh, capture something of the day: Vaughan Humphries, Chair of Harwell Parish Council, addressing the crowd, and a group of our young riders doing the honours at the ribbon.

Many of you asked what was said. We thought you'd enjoy reading it.

A few things in Vaughan's speech are worth highlighting. The reminder that the Recreation Ground itself was bought in 1922 through a collective community effort - servicemen, farmers, local businesses, residents - feels particularly apt today. More than a century on, the same spirit is still here.

And this, near the end of the speech, says it all:

"Less than a year ago, in August 2025, a group of young people sat together in a workshop and were asked a simple question: what would you want? They drew pictures, built hills out of sand, and talked about what would make a pump track worth riding... What you see before you today is the answer to what they asked for."

"Reuben, Sebastian, Jack, Harry, Miguel, William, Barney, Casey, Charlie, Jamie, Tommy, Joey and Theo - it is yours."

[Full speech below / in comments]