Motorists in Oxfordshire are being told to brace themselves for more roadworks misery - this time on the A34.

The dual carriageway will be closed to all northbound traffic, between the Botley Interchange and the Pear Tree roundabout, for five weeks from Friday, October 30. Highways officials are warning of severe delays throughout November and urging people travelling northbound into Oxford to use public transport instead.

Angela Simmons, project manager for the Highways Agency, said: "This work should have been carried out in the spring, but we have delayed it until county council roadworks were finished in Botley Road.

"The improvements cannot be done without closing the carriageway. Our advice to people travelling north into Oxford is to consider using other forms of transport wherever possible." The £3.7m "essential" maintenance works will include resurfacing the dual carriageway between Botley and Pear Tree and demolishing and rebuilding the deck of the Seacourt Stream Bridge.

There will be no northbound access to the A34 between the Botley interchange and the Pear Tree roundabout.

It means traffic will be directed off the A34 at the Hinksey Hill roundabout and diverted around the eastern and northern bypasses, via Cowley and Headington, to reach Pear Tree.

Southbound traffic will be unaffected though it will be switched to the opposite carriageway at times and there will be a mandatory 50mph speed limit.

Speed cameras will monitor traffic flow and police will be carrying out speed checks.

The contract for the work, to be carried out by Edmund Nuttall Ltd and supervised by Kennedy and Donkin Ltd, is on a 'lane rental basis' to minimise delays. The system provides a bonus for early completion and a charge if the contractor over- runs.

The roadworks follow a summer of delays during a major road improvement programme, in Botley Road, which is due to be completed soon.

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