HIGHWAYS England has said there are ‘compelling reasons’ why it cannot tell the public the routes it is considering for the Oxford-Cambridge Expressway.

A Freedom of Information request submitted by this newspaper asked for all of the possible routes engineers are currently looking at.

It is thought about 100 separate paths are being considered between the two university cities for the controversial new road.

The plan forms a critical part of the Government’s growth agenda for the Oxford-Cambridge arc – but a settled route will not be decided until 2020.

In a response to our request for a list of all routes being considered by Highways England, it claimed if information were released it ‘could negatively and incorrectly influence business and residential decisions’ and ‘mislead’ any future consultations.

Highways England said it would like to release the information because it could ‘increase public understanding of the significant level of work done ahead of any major development', but also attached a long list of reasons for rejecting our request – which will be appealed.

The agency said the routes currently being worked on ‘do not accurately represent the route options likely to be taken forward and developed... and to release at this stage will be misleading, [and] cause unnecessary concern’.

In October, Botley residents waited to meet transport minister Jesse Norman after he held a meeting with Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran and councillors. They were worried the expressway could lead to people’s homes being demolished.

Highways England added that even releasing the considerable number of routes could ‘mislead land and property owners into believing they will be adversely affected by the proposals when this may not be the case and in doing so may cause unwarranted alarm’.

Back in September, the Oxfordshire Growth Board – made up of the county’s council leaders – demanded more information over where the road might go, as it seeks to plough millions of pounds into critical infrastructure projects.

Susan Brown, Oxford City Council’s leader, attacked a ‘lack of clarity’.

And James Mills, West Oxfordshire District Council’s leader, said ‘clarity is absolutely essential’ if the county is to deliver on the £215m Oxfordshire Housing and Growth Deal.

As part of that, 100,000 homes will be built by 2031 to accommodate expected growth.

Another 200,000 homes on top of that could be built by 2050 as part of the Government’s plans.