A LONG-awaited link road between the A40 and A44 to cut congestion in North Oxford could be built by autumn 2019, transport officials say.

This would be later than originally planned, after the £12m scheme was set back by a lack of funding.

The relief route between the A40, just west of the A34, and the A44 Loop Farm roundabout, next to Pear Tree, has been proposed by Oxfordshire County Council to cut congestion at Wolvercote Roundabout.

Campaigners have also argued it should be built before the opening of the Northern Gateway science park, which is set to include 500 homes and 90,000sqm of employment space.

County councillor Jean Fooks urged officials to press ahead with the scheme.

She said: “It really is very important that we have this road in place before they do any building at the Northern Gateway.”

But a lack of funding has previously seen the scheme beset by delays.

Last year the county council said it planned to hold a public inquiry on the link road in autumn 2016 and finish construction by spring 2019.

Cabinet member for transport David Nimmo Smith later admitted this was unlikely because just £2.3m of the estimated £11.8m total cost had been secured.

This week, a report to the Oxfordshire Growth Board said a ‘feasibility design’ for the road was now complete, however.

It added the scheme was likely to be delivered by autumn 2019.

The work would need to be coordinated with separate £38mplans to add an eastbound bus lane to the A40 between a new park and ride at Eynsham and Wolvercote, the report said.

The A40 is used by up to 30,000 vehicles every day, with 91 per cent of eastbound users in the morning rush hour coming from West Oxfordshire and 72 per cent were travelling into the city.