Roadworks in George Street, Oxford, were finished on June 28 - three days ahead of the deadline.

Traffic started to use the road again in mid-afternoon and all bus routes are now back to normal.

Richard Dix, the county council's assistant director of highway management, said: "Not only have we finished early but we have completed two jobs in the time originally allowed for one.

"The repairs to the collapsed sewer - which triggered the closure - were finished in time to allow reconstruction of the east end of George Street, which was in a truly dreadful state after the winter."

He said the speed of the repairs was possible because of the co-ordination among Thames Water, Oxfordshire County Council and their two contractors.

He said a successful diversion for buses was also found.

It was also planned to renew the pavements because there is temporary concrete filling between some kerbstones.

There wasn't time to do this work, but the county council said it would be done without the road being closed after new paving was put in in Cornmarket.