Oxford A40 dual carriageway and bus lane upgrade agreed

The stretch of the A40 is notorious for traffic jams

A £54m project to upgrade a stretch of the A40 into Oxford into a dual carriageway has been agreed.

Plans to widen the road to ease the "chronic congestion" between Witney and Eynsham were agreed by Oxfordshire County Council on Tuesday.

A further bus lane in both directions along the road between the park and ride at Eynsham and the Duke's Cut canal bridge will also be added.

The authority said the plans would now be used to seek government funding.

An estimated 30,000 vehicles use the route between Oxford and Witney each day, according to the authority.

County Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Leader of Oxfordshire County Council, said: "The only way to get to Oxford by road at the moment is to sit in chronic congestion - that has to be tackled.

"We understand the frustrations of users of this major route."

Prime Minister David Cameron, the MP for Witney has previously described the A40 as "a bit of a foot on the windpipe of west Oxfordshire economy".

Under the plans the A40 would be upgraded to a dual carriageway between Witney to Eynsham with bus lanes also added