Thames Water has apologised after traders and commuters were met with congestion chaos this week after unexpected roadworks on a major city route this week.

A set of three-way traffic lights were set up on Botley Road near St Frideswides Church due to water main works in the early hours of Sunday morning (February 12).

The works were described as an emergency by the county council and the lights were expected to be in place until Friday (February 17).

However, the temporary two-way lights were removed by repair teams at 8pm yesterday evening (February 13).

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A Thames Water spokesperson said: “We’d like to apologise to motorists and residents for any delays caused by our emergency repair work on Botley Road.

"Our engineers responded to reports of a burst water mains pipe in the early hours of Sunday morning (February 12) and completed the work last night (February 13).

"The repairs team also removed the temporary two-way lights at 8pm yesterday evening.” 

Oxford Mail: Water main works taking place in Botley RoadWater main works taking place in Botley Road (Image: Newsquest)

There were large tailbacks as a result of the lights with drivers queuing as far back as the junction with the A34 at Botley and back to Worcester Street in the city centre. 

The works saw reports of heavy delays, problems with deliveries for drivers and traders, medical appointments missed and difficulties in reaching places of work and education.

Dan Towler, who works at Woodlands Pharmacy in Botley Road, said: "We were definitely disrupted getting to work, getting deliveries to us and I think our customers definitely have been as well.

"Our deliveries have been delayed or not come at all.

"We have had a few customers who have called and their prescriptions have been sent elsewhere because they did not want to sit in a queue for an hour."

The emergency works came as the county council and Network Rail looks ahead to close Botley Road so that major improvements to the station can take place.

The work had been scheduled to start at the beginning of this year but has been put on hold.

Talks have been taking place between the rail authority, the county council and the Department for Transport to agree on a new plan to close Botley Road at the rail bridge – which will be replaced.

The former youth hostel in Botley Road is set to be demolished within a month according to contractors, while the former Station Grill has already been demolished.

A spokesman for Network Rail said the water works would have no impact on the wider project taking place on Botley Road.

Botley Road is the main road into the centre of Oxford from the west stretching between Botley, on the Oxford Ring Road, and Frideswide Square at the junction with Oxford railway station.