Botley Interchange roadworks finish early after months of delays

The concrete barrier and cones closing a lane on the roundabout have been removed

Bridge repair roadworks that have caused hours of delays have been lifted four weeks early, National Highways has said.

Repair work on the Botley Interchange in Oxford, which links to the A34, has been causing problems for drivers for the past six months.

The concrete barrier and cones closing a lane have been removed.

National Highways said there would be one final overnight closure from 21:00 GMT until 06:00 GMT on Friday.

It said this was needed to remove signs and complete road markings.

Zack Iqbal, owner of First Stop Spanner Works garage, said business had been "difficult for the last six months".

He added his customers had been "avoiding the whole area", meaning "all the businesses on the Botley Road have been suffering".

Matthew Alden, managing director of Aldens of Oxford butchers on Osney Mead Industrial Estate, said the reopening of the interchange "gave everyone a boost", and was "great news for our staff, and great news for our retail customers".

National Highways said its bridge repairs on the A34 Botley Interchange, which were originally scheduled to finish at the end of March, were "essential" to keeping the structure "safe and secure".

A spokesperson for the agency said: "We were able to accelerate the works and anticipate to complete approximately four weeks ahead of the original programme."

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