Oxford Driving – Cowley Roundabout

Overview

Exit from dual carriageway

first exit to the left lane; if you missed it, you have to exit to the right lane;
then exit to the right lane

From Eastern By-pass Rd A4142 (North to South), to Cowley Oxford Business Park, 4th exit, turning right.

Read the sign
- thick stubby lines are for dual carriageways;
- two thick lines side-by-side: 1st one is exit, 2nd one is entrance; sometimes the exit is a longer line, entrance is a shorter line; you should ignore the second short line;
- Gap indicates the exit before it is the last exit before coming back on ourselves (U-turn).
Don’t go on the bridge and do not exit the dual carriageway too early (wait for the arrow indicating exit, the first exit is for turning left). Go on the bridge meaning you are staying on the dual carriageway.

Having exited from the By-pass, take the right hand lane approaching.
Turning right, 4th Exit, taking the middle lane on the roundabout, indicate right.
- Entering: right lane;
- On the roundabout: after passing the 1st exit, right lane will split into middle and right lanes. Choose the middle lane to follow through;
1st Exit

You could take either the middle or the right lane. [just go with the middle lane]
- middle lane is easier, it takes you right to the left lane as you exit;
- right lane is trickier, the lane split into two, and you have to maneuver to the middle one; and you exit onto the right lane at your exit, and you need an additonal lane changing to the left.
2nd Exit to Tesco Superstore
3rd Exit to Ring Road South, Swindon, Midlands

After the 3rd exit, remain in the middle lane, this lane will lead you to merge to the left lane automatically, be prepared to exit.
4th Exit
- The lane has the road marking “CLEY”, indicating Cowley.
- Check left mirror, indicate left, exit the roundabout.
- Be aware of vehicles merging from the right.

From Garsingston Rd (Watlington, Blackbird Leys) to A4142 Ring Road North towards London (Hospital and Headington), 4th exit, turning right

Entering: right lane;
- note that lanes are quite narrow, have to stick to the right curb.
  - make your car curved;
  - left lane: retail park, ring road (S);
  - right lane split to mid lane: CLEY;
  - right lane: ring road (N);
On the roundabout: right lane;
Just when you enter under the bridge, your lane split into two lanes;
- choose the middle lane to follow through; so that when you passing the Cowley (penultimate) exit, you will be taken to the left lane;
After passing the Cowley exit, check mirrors and indicate left, exit to Ring Road North on the left lane (if going from middle lane);
Note that you are on a slip road now with a speed limit 50m/h, you have to accelerate a lot! So when you join the dual carriageway, you have built up your speed.
- going too slow on slip road is dangerous–when you join the dual carriageways, you are slowing down the traffic and risk tail crashing.
- you must not change lane on slip roads, you have to wait until the end of slip roads and merge to the right to dual carriageways;

There is a hotel on the road–Premier Inn (Purple), roundabout sign is partially blocked by bushes.

Lane choosing:

From Oxford Business Park to Watlington, 2nd exit, straight ahead

Entering: right-middle lane
- because left lane is left turn only to Ring Road (N) London
As you drive on, when you going under the bridge, the road markings will take you to the left lane automatically;
- easy in general;
- Under the bridge road markings
  - Left: Watlington;
  - Middle: Retain park;
  - Right: Ring Road South;

From Oxford Business Park to Tesco Retail Park, 3rd exit, turning right

From Oxford Business Park to Ring Road South towards Newbury and Swindon, 4th exit, turning right

Entering: right lane;
Under the bridge, go with the right lane
- right lane marked “Ring Road (S)”, end up with the right lane on the Ring Road;
After you get out of the bridge and passing the Watlington exit, right lane split into middle and right lane—take the middle lane, follow through, and exit onto the right lane on Ring Rd South towards Newbury and Swindon;