Road works to relieve bottleneck

Work has begun on a project designed to improve traffic flow at a bottleneck in a south Oxfordshire town.

Stratton Way in Abingdon will be lengthened allowing drivers turning right into Stert Street more room.

A temporary traffic management system will be in place for the duration of the work but the lanes will not be made significantly narrower.

Oxfordshire County Council said it would try to keep disruption minimal. Work is expected to last four weeks.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet Member for Transport, said: "This is a key part of the traffic system and we believe this work will contribute to easing the flow of traffic at this pinch point.

But Mr Hudspeth warned people should not expect an instant solution to the current traffic problems in the town, which still need further investment.

"Abingdon still has the same problems as every market town in the country - an increasing amount of traffic using roads that were created many decades ago and never designed to cope with the amount of traffic that currently uses them.

"An overall solution to Abingdon's traffic situation could only ever be achieved with help from government funding to implement work such as changes to the Lodge Hill interchange, a new river bridge and a relief road. "