Works to start on Oxford A40 bus and cycle lanes

The A40 is notorious for hold-ups and traffic jams

Preparation works as part of a major project to build bus and cycle lanes on the A40 is set to start next week.

Hedgerows and other vegetation will be cleared for a temporary compound to be constructed alongside the road which connects Oxford to Witney.

The works are ahead of a £102m scheme to build bus and cycle lanes in an attempt to ease congestion on the A40.

A section of the road between Witney and Enysham will also be turned into a dual carriageway as part of the plans.

Under the plans the A40 would be upgraded to a dual carriageway between Witney to Eynsham

Oxfordshire County Council was granted the £102m by the government last year so it could "unlock" 5,050 homes to be built in west Oxfordshire.

The council bid for the cash to solve "chronic congestion" on the A40 which is used by an estimated 32,000 vehicles a day between Witney and Oxford.

Preparation works will begin on a short section of the road to the west of the Wolvercote roundabout from Thursday, ahead of the main project starting in February 2021, the council said.

It is hoped the work of widening the road to accommodate bus lanes and cycle paths east and westbound will be completed by December next year.

The council said both lanes of the A40 will be kept open during the preparation work.