URGENT work is needed to increase the capacity of a Didcot town centre roundabout, according to a leading councillor.

Former Didcot Town Council leader Margaret Davies said there are often traffic jams as drivers approach the Jubilee Way roundabout, particularly at peak times.

And the Labour councillor warned traffic congestion in the area would get worse once the nearby Aldi store opens next year and building work starts on the second phase of the Orchard Centre.

She added: “The county council and the Local Enterprise Partnership want to improve the roundabout, but work to upgrade the Milton and Chilton interchanges on the A34 will be funded first.

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“There are often queues approaching the Jubilee Way roundabout in both directions but I think the congestion is going to get infinitely worse.

“It’s not Aldi’s fault but customers heading there will make the roundabout even busier.”

Mrs Davies said traffic on the roundabout would increase further once an access road for buses between Broadway and Hitchcock Way closes to make way for phase two of the Orchard shopping centre.

She added: “If more buses have to use Broadway then there will be growing concerns about air quality on Lower Broadway.”

Mrs Davies said work should be brought forward to make the roundabout itself smaller so that it could be redesigned to cater for two lanes of traffic around it.

She added: “Traffic often tails back from the roundabout along Station Road and sometimes backs up onto Hadden Hill in the other direction.”

Town council leader Eleanor Hards said: “Try getting into Didcot from the east at 5pm and you will get held up by the Jubilee Way roundabout.

“More shops will generate more traffic in Didcot so it makes sense to do some work on the roundabout as soon as possible.”

Last month, South Oxfordshire District Council and shopping centre owner Hammerson announced that plans for a second phase of the Orchard Centre would go ahead.

The proposal for the centre’s second phase was first announced in 2011 but stalled because of the economic downturn.

Now the scheme is back on and a scaled-down version of the original scheme will feature an M&S food hall as one of 20 new shops, restaurants and cafes.

It is scheduled to open by Christmas 2016.

The first phase of the centre opened in 2005, and features a Sainsbury’s, the Cornerstone Arts Centre and a Cineworld cinema.

As plans for phase two have been scaled down, shops and businesses on Lower Broadway, including those on Rich’s Sidings, are being allowed to stay.

Oxfordshire County Council has earmarked the Jubilee Way roundabout as needing improvement, but said no definite plans or costings have been made.

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