It is good news that the Government has approved the £88m package of transport improvements for Oxfordshire.

It appears to be a large sum of money but, when you consider the scale of housebuilding proposed for the county over the next two decades, one wonders whether it is enough.

One relatively small project that has been proposed for a number of years is junction improvements at the A34/M40 interchange north of Oxford. They are not included in this package and, as we report this week, now seem unlikely to go ahead.

What is for certain is that another 1,500 homes will be built in Bicester and many thousands more in Didcot, all kicking out more drivers on to the A34.

So, what will £88m pay for? A substantial element will be for the extension of Oxford station. That will, hopefully, lead to improved train services between Bicester and Oxford and Didcot and Oxford.

Sophisticated traffic systems will also be introduced on the A34, including real-time traffic information, variable message signing and variable speed limits.

There is evidence that these sorts of traffic systems have eased congestion on the M25. Nevertheless, they have not obviated the need for new lanes to be added to London's orbital motorway to cope with the frequent congestion.

The new traffic systems will, at best, increase capacity on the A34 only marginally. One suspects that the Government will ultimately address the capacity problem by introducing a road toll.

The county's cabinet member for transport, David Robertson, this week relinquished his control over smaller traffic schemes to a fellow cabinet member. One guesses it will give him more time to concentrate on the strategic transport role.

There is a lot of sense in this but, one thing is for sure, it will not make his life any easier. While spending £88m will keep him busy, he will wish he had a lot more.