BARGAIN hunters packed out Bicester Village for post-Christmas sales but traffic chaos at the shopping outlet centre was largely avoided.

Huge crowds swarmed to the centre on Boxing Day and some cars were reportedly queuing outside from the early hours of the morning ahead of it opening at 7am.

But despite busy roads and full car parks, traffic moved relatively freely in Bicester, apart from heavy congestion in Pingle Drive.

The town has experienced gridlock in the past on big shopping days, particularly on Black Friday in 2014.

Bicester Traffic Action Group (TAG) co-chairman Sallie Wright said on Boxing Day: “When I went out at about 10.45am, the park and ride was very busy.

“But the traffic was flowing freely down Queens Avenue. I believe earlier this morning the queues to get into Bicester Village were horrendous.”

One of the car parks at the shopping outlet centre was reportedly full by 7.30am, half an hour after it opened.

Yesterday it was a much calmer scene, with little congestion on the roads and the new park and ride was almost empty in the morning.

Last year people abandoned their cars along the side of the A41 but discovered their vehicles were ticketed and towed away by police when they went to collect them.

The outlet centre opened an hour earlier this year in an attempt to reduce traffic problems.