A BOTTLENECK on one of Oxford’s busiest commuter routes is set to be eased as work got under way yesterday on a new £250,000 project.

Work has started on an eight-week scheme to create an extra lane at the traffic lights in West Way, Botley. The project, which yesterday caused delays for drivers, will add a third lane to the outbound road between North Hinksey Lane and the junction to the A34 and A420.

One lane will be for motorists heading straight on to Botley and Cumnor Hill, and the other two will be for drivers turning right for the A34 or A420.

Rodney Rose, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for transport, said the scheme would complement the planned £3.7m Frideswide Square redesign to cut congestion at that bottleneck.

He said: “I’m sure the people who travel into Oxford will put up with disruption as the aim is to improve it in the long term for those commuting into Oxford.”

Lane changes before the junction on the Oxford-bound road from Botley mean motorists will only be able to turn left to the A34 in the left lane and go straight ahead in the right lane.

There will be no changes to the bus or park and ride lanes.

The work also includes resurfacing, updating traffic lights and making the section of North Hinksey Lane west of McDonald’s two-way.

Mr Rose added: “We apologise to everyone who is slightly held up by it. But the traffic lights have come to the end of their working life and the road needs resurfacing.”

The cash for the scheme has come from developer contributions.

Neil Clark, North Hinksey Parish Council chairman, said the work would cause delays but it would be worth it if the traffic problems were sorted.

He said: “I have noticed more delays but it’s not been hugely dramatic so far.

“It is very, very busy at the best of times and this makes it even worse. So no work is ever really welcome there, but if it needs to be done then fair enough.”

But he said something needed to be done as more people were coming to the area, adding: “The road is at breaking point.”

Carl Room, the franchisee who runs the West Way McDonald’s, said: “I hope it doesn’t have too much impact.

“But the work the council has done over the last few years has always been a benefit so hopefully it will ease traffic problems.”

Work on Frideswide Square, which involves building a large roundabout at the entrance to the railway station and two mini-roundabouts, is expected to start next year.