traffic became gridlocked in Oxford this morning after the sequence of traffic lights at one of the city's busiest junctions was changed.

Oxfordshire County Council put the lights at the junction of High Street and Longwall Street back to normal after realising the chaos that had been caused.

It blamed poor weather and overrunning gas works in Cowley Road for creating additional traffic in the area, but motorists caught in the jams put the problems down to poor planning.

Traffic queued along High Street, the Plain roundabout, St Clement's Street, Cowley Road and Iffley Road, from about 7.30am. The lights were reset between 9am and 10am.

A council spokesman said the lights were changed at 4pm yesterday to allow recurbing work to take place in Longwall Street.

Chartered surveyor Neil Hicks was delayed by 20 minutes as he travelled from his home in Headington, Oxford, to Keble Street.

He said there was no advanced warning about the rephasing of the lights, but the council spokesman said signs advising people about roadworks had been up near the junction for a "few days".

Mr Hicks, 59, who is disabled and uses his car to get to work, said: "I travel this way every day and had absolutely no idea these changes were being put in place.

"It was absolutely terrible. My journey usually takes 20 to 25 minutes, but it took about 45 minutes today."

The council spokesman said: "The lights were rephased as part of recurbing

work that was due to start on Longwall Street.

"However because of the poor weather and overrunning Transco works on the Cowley Road there was additional traffic creating problems at this junction.

"The minute we discovered there was a problem we abandoned the recurbing work and put the lights back to normal. We apologise for any inconvenience caused."