DRIVERS went from despair to delight in 24 hours as the huge traffic delays experienced on Botley Road on Tuesday disappeared yesterday.

Oxfordshire County Council altered the traffic light sequence at Park End Street yesterday morning after motorists were stuck in tailbacks of up to an hour the day before.

Botley Road was almost deserted as a result, but the change prompted major problems to the north of the city instead, with those travelling through the city centre via Woodstock Road and Banbury Road caught in gridlock.

Some motorists reported taking almost 40 minutes to drive from the Randolph Hotel in Beaumont Street to Frideswide Square.

The delays were again due to phase two of roadworks in Frideswide Square which began on Tuesday morning and will continue for six weeks.

It has led to Hythe Bridge Street being closed next to the Royal Oxford Hotel as part of the Oxfordshire County Council’s £5.8m redevelopment of the square.

The county council confirmed it had reprogrammed the traffic lights at the junction of Worcester Street and Park End Street to allow a longer green light for vehicles turning right into Park End Street.

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: “We are constantly assessing traffic flows via officers on site and traffic monitoring cameras. We are seeking to adjust timings according to what is observed.”

But commuter Andrew Beal said the timings were still not right and he spent 35 minutes stuck in traffic travelling from the top of St Giles to Gloucester Green car park yesterday as a result.

The facilities manager at the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries in Park End Street said: “It’s the timing of the lights coming from Beaumont Street into Worcester Street.

“The lights are on green but nothing’s moving because lights are on red at the bottom of George Street.

“You’ve also got traffic out of Walton Street and people trying to come across who get stuck half way.

“The county council is monitoring cars from Park End Street but completely neglecting cars coming from Walton Street.

“They have to get the timing of the lights better.”

Videogame designer Jason Kingsley spent about 50 minutes in traffic on his way to work along the Botley Road on Tuesday but said his journey took only about 20 minutes yesterday.

He said: “I came in at about 10am and there was about a 20-minute delay.

“I believe it was not as bad during rush hour either. I will give the county council credit for what it has done so far but I am not as bad during rush hour either.

“I will give the county council credit for what it has done so far but I am not holding my breath on what will happen next week when the schools go back.”

County council cabinet member for transport David Nimmo Smith said officers were monitoring the situation and would make more changes if necessary.

He said: “We will look at the road layout and consider tweaking it to help traffic flow.

People who come into the city should try to use the park and rides.

“They are there to make it easier for people to get in and out of the city.”

The Oxford Bus Company was forced to change its 400 Park and Ride Service due to Tuesday’s disruption.

Last night buses on route 400 did not run from Thornhill Park and Ride to Seacourt Park and Ride.