Oxford roadworks cause hours of dual carriageway delays
- Published
Some drivers reported delays of up to four hours on the A420 near Oxford
Roadworks have caused hours of delays for people travelling on major roads in Oxfordshire.
Maintenance and repair works to the Botley interchange in Oxford caused gridlock on the A420 and A34 on Thursday morning.
Thames Valley Police was called at about 10:30 BST to help manage the congestion.
National Highways apologised and said it would be "taking additional measures to minimise disruption".
The organisation began "essential" works on on the A34 Botley Interchange in Oxford on 11 September.
It is planned to be closed for four nights from 21:00 to 06:00 until 15 September, including the A420 from Cumnor to Botley.
The one-way section of Seacourt Lane also remains closed throughout the work.
One driver called the delay "very annoying" and another said a 40-minute trip ended up taking two-and-a-half hours.
A doctor said he had missed a hospital appointment and said there were "some elderly people in this queue who hadn't planned for this sort of thing".
Travellers queued for hours on the A420 and A34 in Oxfordshire
National Highways project manager Peter Lucie said the scheme was "part of our ongoing efforts and investment in keeping key routes in the south east in good condition".
He said it would ensure "the safety, reliability, and longevity" of the road infrastructure.
A spokesperson said about 7,000 letters were sent to local residents and businesses, and more than 400 signs warning of delays and a new temporary road layout were in place.
"We are continuing to look into any further measures we can take, but would continue to ask people to allow additional time to complete their journeys if they need to travel through this section of road," they added.
The work is due to continue until March next year, with further closures listed on the National Highways website., external
Additional measures being put in place from tonight include further signage and road markings, as well as manual traffic lights.
Follow BBC South on Facebook, external, Twitter, external, or Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk.