Oxford’s ring road could be in line for a triple hamburger whammy.

The news comes as workmen last night revealed the city’s second hamburger roundabout is set to open next week – slashing journey times by up to ten minutes.

Motorists said they were relieved the £2m six-month project on the Heyford Hill roundabout was coming to an end as it emerged the Kennington roundabout could be next in line for improvements.

They said the roadworks had caused long delays for drivers and created kncok-on traffic problems at the Littlemore roundabout and into Rose Hill.

Work started on the hamburger roundabout – so called because it features an additional lane through the middle – in April.

Contractors are due to complete the work next Wednesday and say improvements will knock ten minutes off journey times for rush-hour drivers.

Highways chiefs say it will cut congestion in the same way as the hamburger roundabout at Green Road, Headington, which was completed in 2006.

And they have now revealed a third hamburger design could be introduced at the Kennington roundabout at the end of Abingdon Road.

The county council’s cabinet member for transport Rodney Rose said: “The Heyford Hill scheme is part of a bigger project to ease congestion on the ring road.

“The new hamburger design at Heyford Hill, which cost in the region of £2m, should cut journey times on the ring road and free up the network. It has been one of the blackspots in terms of congestion on that section of the ring road.”

Khalid Butt, operations manager of Park End Street-based A1 Taxis, said: “We have about 50 drivers and the delays caused by work has been a real pain in the backside for them – they will be relieved when the work is finished.”

The council’s strategic manager John Disley said: “The new roundabout at Heyford Hill is the first of a series of improvements we are hoping to introduce on the ring road.

“We are also looking at ways of improving capacity at other roundabouts on the ring road, including Kennington, and one option being considered is a hamburger design.”

Mr Rose added the council was drawing up the proposals but could not confirm a timetable for the work because government funding was not yet available.

Mr Rose said: “A new hamburger design at the Kennington roundabout is an option and could cost about £2m.

“We are waiting for the end of the council’s medium term financial plan which runs until 2015.”

Kennington parish council chairman Peter Biggs said: “The Green Road hamburger roundabout has been a huge success and I don’t see why it couldn’t work at the Kennington roundabout.”

The Heyford Hill roundabout work was funded by Sainsbury’s to coincide with the Littlemore store’s extension, set to open on the same day.

It will house a full clothing department, pizza and salad counters, a “click and collect” service for internet shoppers, and a new café.

The 25-year-old store will close from tomorrow until the opening date to complete the refurbishment.

Sainsbury’s spokesman William Wood said: “It is predicted that improvements to the Heyford Hill roundabout will substantially reduce queuing at the roundabout, offering up to a ten-minute time saving at peak times for motorists.”