DRIVERS have been warned to expect more than a year of delays as a fresh round of roadworks begins this summer.

Oxfordshire County Council leader Ian Hudspeth said disruption caused by the overhaul of Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts in North Oxford could be similar to that caused by the remodelling of Kennington Roundabout last year.

The £9m roundabouts scheme is set to start late next month and could run to November next year, the county council said. It would see both junctions become traffic light-controlled, with approaches widened and new pedestrian and cycle crossings added.

Transport bosses said it would improve traffic flows and help meet demand for developments, such as the Northern Gateway business park. But the 16-month works will coincide with the ongoing revamp of Frideswide Square and the Westgate Shopping Centre in the city centre, as well as six-month speed restrictions on the Eastern Bypass, for the replacement of a water main.

On Monday night business leaders in the city met the county council and Oxford City Council to discuss a number of issues, including the impact of roadworks and parking fees on traders.

Ahead of the roadworks, county council leader Mr Hudspeth urged commuters to use public transport instead of cars and said businesses should look at flexible ways for employees to work from home.

He said: “People should be prepared for the fact that it could be as bad as Kennington.

Oxford Mail:

“For that scheme people were not as well prepared as they could have been when the work began, but this time they need to look at other options, like public transport.

“We are not denying the disruption, but I would point to the Kennington and Headington roundabouts – which everyone now agrees are much better.”

The county council said it would take a number of steps to minimise the impact of works on the Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts, which are used by thousands of motorists every day.

The authority scheduled the scheme for the end of July, to avoid a clash with speed restrictions on the A40 Northern Bypass and to coincide with the school holidays.

But the work is also set to take double the length of time previously estimated, with an original finish date in February now likely to be pushed back to October and even possible November 2016.

County council spokeswoman Catarina Walsh said this was partly because more work was needed on utilities than first expected.

She added: “Carrying out the work over a longer period means the overall day-to-day impact on traffic will be less and the need for full closures is reduced.”

Ms Walsh said detailed plans of the works would be made available for residents and businesses “before the start of work”, which has not yet been confirmed.

Businesses warned the scheme could seriously affect trade.

Graham Jones, spokesman for the city business group ROX, which represents restaurants, hotels, traders and retailers in Oxford, said: “All these roadworks are bound to have an effect and we are at risk of Oxford becoming very difficult to access, which would deter people. We cannot afford that.”

Bus companies said they would carefully monitor the impact of the roundabouts scheme, with Oxford Bus Company commercial manager Andy Morison adding there were concerns about the impact of roadworks on the economy.

He said: “We recognise the works are needed for the long-term economic benefit, but we are concerned about the longer-term damage to the economy.”

Karen Coventry, business development manager at Stagecoach Oxfordshire, said they were working closely with the council: “We have the ability to put contingency plans in place, should we need to.”

Abingdon-based taxi driver Stuart Thomas, who drives around the city regularly, praised improvements to the Kennington and Headington roundabouts in recent years, but said: “The roadworks do have a big impact while they are going on and I have to change my routes because of them and get generally delayed.”

Transport consultant Mark McArthur-Christie said: “These works have got to be done but it is going to hurt in the short-term.

“This is likely to be a case of grin and bear it, because it is going to make things better in the long-run. Transport workers at the council will have thought about this very carefully.”

A spokesman for Highways England said the authority did not expect the roundabout scheme to have a “major impact” on the A34 or Pear Tree Interchange, but did not rule out mitigation measures in the future.