AN Oxford MP said she is frustrated motorists have been given such short notice about the latest roadworks scheduled for the key Botley Interchange.

Thousands of drivers were stuck in traffic for hours at a time between September and the beginning of March while National Highways staff were carrying out work at the interchange.

The work is now completed, but further delays are expected from tomorrow between the Peartree and South Hinksey interchanges while gas company SGN is on site.

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A statement from SGN says: "Following our network enhancement project on the A34 in November 2023, we need to return this weekend to fully reinstate the road.

"For everyone's safety, we'll need to close both lanes of the southbound carriageway near Botley from 9pm tonight (Friday, March 22) until 5am on Monday, March 25.

"Once this work is finished the project will be completed. 

"The project will be carried out by our trusted contractor, Forefront Utilities, acting on our behalf."

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A statement from Oxford West and Abingdon MP Layla Moran said: "I'm disappointed the A34 will be closed between Peartree and South Hinksey southbound for SGN gas works this weekend.

"Given the chaos we've seen previously, the short notice of these works is frustrating.

"I've spoken to SGN who assured me they will work hard to reduce disruption."

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Bradley Barlow, a spokesman for SGN, said the communications team alerted local media about the work on Wednesday.

A signed diversion will be in place via the A44 Woodstock Road, A40 Sunderland Avenue, A40 Elsfield Way, A40 Northern Bypass road, A40 North Way, A4142 Eastern Bypass Road and the A423 Southern Bypass Road.

Emily Smith, Vale of White Horse district councillor for Botley and Sunningwell, said the diversion would lead to traffic rat-running through North Hinksey village and Wytham.

She added: "This announcement seemed to come out of the blue.

Oxford Mail: Vale councillor Emily Smith"I am trying to find out the access arrangements for residents in Stanley Close, and Southern Bypass Road whose homes are accessed from that stretch of the A34 southern bypass.

"This work may have been listed in advance on websites but it should have been communicated better to give people more time to plan their journeys - it will inevitably cause disruption this weekend.

"I do hope this is the end of work at the Botley interchange for the time being."

In a letter to the Oxford Mail, one reader complained: "Honestly they have to be joking.

 

"The last time they did this works overran and it caused mayhem on traffic throughout the area.

"Do we have a cast-iron guarantee that this won’t happen again and that this will be the last time these closures will happen?

"It cost companies hundreds of thousands pounds because they can’t move their cargo around and the poor residents of Botley, their lives are a living hell at the moment."

National Highways press team also publicised the road closure on Wednesday.

The county council has not commented.

Bradley Barlow, a spokesman for SGN, said: "We’re sorry for the short notice informing the local community about this weekend’s work on the A34. Our works permit request was raised in recent weeks following local authority consent to proceed. We issued our statement as soon as our plan of work was finalised.

"As with our original work in the area last year, traffic marshals will be on site to allow residents of Stanley Close/Southern Bypass Road to enter and exit onto the A34 via the hard shoulder."