DRIVERS usually only get a quick glance to notice the Westgate shopping centre being constructed.

But so far this week, people commuting in and out of the city have been able to see far more of the building than they can might want - by sitting in standstill traffic outside it.

Yesterday and Monday saw drivers suffer frustrating delays to their journeys, and they should expect more, with the traffic lights planned to be in place until the end of this month.

And drivers have expressed their frustration at the delays after ‘almost no notice’ was given by the Westgate contractors or Oxfordshire County Council.

Phil Southall, managing director of Oxford Bus Company said it had been very difficult so far to keep buses running on time and called for an ‘urgent solution’ to be found.

He added: “The temporary traffic lights at Thames Street came with almost no notice, which was disappointing.

“The unpredictability of the area - particularly since the closure of Queen Street - has made it very difficult for us to keep buses running on time.

“Some services that come in from the south that turn around and go south again have been diverted via Donnington Bridge Road to avoid the congestion, however this causes issues for passengers wishing to alight on the Abingdon Road.

“We can’t use the same diversion for cross-city services as doing so would mean missing out the entire city centre. An urgent solution is clearly needed.”

The lights - which are being operated manually by workers from the Westgate site - are in place while contractors Laing O’Rourke begin to build the underground car park.

It is understood the work is being carried out during the summer holidays to minimise disruption.

They are in place from 7am until 7pm on a daily basis, but were not in place until 7.05am yesterday, which caused further delays to journeys and queues which backed up along Abingdon Road and Botley Road.

Due to the lane changes in Thames Street, Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority, has said it has placed advice signs warning drivers about congestion.

But some motorists have questioned why the signs were placed further from the roadworks, with one commenting that the queues stretched up to Heyford Hill at one point.

Yesterday readers commented on the Oxford Mail website vented their frustrations at the delays.

Mon Gregory said: “It’s a nightmare round there, I live right next to it.”

Another commenter added: “I was parked at ice rink last night and popped into town.

“What a nightmare it was parking then trying to keep crossing the road to try and find a way a path into town.”

With less than three months to the grand opening of the new £440m Westgate, the Bonn Square facade is near completion and retailers are preparing to move in.

And flagship store John Lewis is almost finished.