THERE was traffic chaos around Oxford today after a lorry crash snarled up the A34 and work at Frideswide Square caused gridlock in the city centre.

Drivers faced long delays on the A34 between Hinksey Hill and Lodge Hill after an articulated lorry crashed into the central reservation, requiring recovery works and then repairs which closed lane two in both directions for about 12 hours.

At the same time, workers launched the latest phase of work on the £5.8m Frideswide Square revamp – putting in place temporary traffic lights and lane restrictions that brought vehicles on St Giles', Oxpens Road, Abingdon Road and Botley Road to a standstill.

And although repairs to the A34 barriers are now complete, it has emerged tonight that drivers could face two more days of jams as contractors continue lane closures at Frideswide Square tomorrow and on Thursday between 10am and 3pm. 

Meanwhile tonight, a broken down caravan on the A34 northbound between Lodge Hill and Hinksey Hill was causing fresh delays but has now been cleared. 

Oxford Mail:

TAILBACKS: Drivers sat in traffic as highway officials scrambled to clear the carriageway.

Father-of-one James Lee, from Abingdon, said it took him one hour and 22 minutes to travel four miles earlier this evening.

The 22-year-old added: "I'm just really upset about the amount of time it's taken.

"I have to travel seven miles from where I work in Osney Mead to Abingdon and on a normal day it takes me 21 minutes. It's absolutely terrible."

The delays started for drivers on their commute this morning, when a lorry hit the central reservation on the A34 northbound, near the Hinksey Hill interchange, at about 7am.

The driver of the lorry was not injured but there were delays throughout the day as Highways Agency staff repaired damage to the central barrier.

Agency spokeswoman Sarah Silk said lane closures were put in place in both directions while the barrier was repaired. 

But drivers trying to avoid the A34 by heading into Oxford were also caught up in delays. 

Oxford Mail:

GRIDLOCK: Temporary traffic lights at Frideswide Square snarled up traffic in the city centre

The temporary lights left traffic crawling through Frideswide Square, and Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach diverted services away from the railway station. 

Transport expert Mark McArthur-Christie said roadworks across the city had brought the road system to “near capacity”.

He added: “That means most of the time it will just about run fine, but one little thing happens and you get gridlock.”

Labour city and county councillor John Tanner said: “If we are going to have these changes at busy junctions drivers deserve more warning.”

John Seward, who works at Eggs Eggsetera in Botley Road, was an hour and a half late for his shift. 

Shop owner Joe Devlin said: “I think it is quick without the traffic lights – it is the temporary traffic lights which are the problem.”

Teresa O’Rourke was in the middle of preparing her homeware store Poppy and Hearts in Botley Road for its opening tomorrow.

She said: “It is absolutely crazy and the trouble is no one wants  to stop here and get out because of trying to get back on the main road again.”

Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for transport David Nimmo Smith said contractors were “cracking on” to get the work finished by December 17. 

The temporary traffic lights were removed at about 3pm. 

Oxford Mail:

LONG DELAYS: The county council says the lane closures will be back tomorrow 

County council spokeswoman Emily Reed said off-peak work would continue today and tomorrow between 10am and 3pm and on Sunday between 9am and 4pm with temporary traffic lights. 

She added: “This is one of the final phases of work on the square, and includes resurfacing and completing anti-skid road markings. 

“Subject to favourable weather conditions, the surfacing work should be complete by Sunday. 
“We apologise for the delays.” 

Ms Reed added that contractors had removed other temporary lights in Thames Street to assist the the work in Frideswide Square.