THE final phase of Abingdon’s Integrated Transport Strategy (Abits) is under way in an attempt to get traffic moving around the town.

The work, which started today, is expected to be finished in the summer.

County councillor Ian Hudspeth, cabinet member for transport, said: “There has been a lot of congestion in the town centre and by encouraging traffic to use the peripheral road we might be able to ease some of that.

“In addition, we know that drivers have been frustrated at being stuck behind buses as they pick up passengers at the bus stop near the nursing home in Marcham Road.

“By creating a bus bay we ought to be able to cut that problem out.”

The first stage will be the work on the bus bay and will take about three weeks.

It will be installed close to the Abingdon Court Nursing Home in Marcham Road, along the westbound carriageway, and will allow buses to pick up passengers without blocking other traffic.

The second part of the scheme will take place in the summer, to widen Marcham Road on the eastbound approach to Colwell Drive.

This will create an extra inbound lane to feed into the town’s peripheral road — encouraging people to use the route as an alternative to the town centre.

Since 2006, motorists have suffered long queues in the town centre following the introduction of the £3.1m Abits scheme, designed to combat pollution levels.

It was supposed to improve traffic flow through the town centre, but traders have claimed it has led to fewer shoppers due to the increased congestion.

abingdon@oxfordmail.co.uk