Villagers have started a three-week traffic survey into drivers rat-running through a narrow, winding road to avoid new traffic lights at a nearby M40 motorway junction.

When the lights were switched on at the A41-A34-M40 junction, queues backed-up for almost three miles to Bicester and drivers turned off the A41 dual-carriageway into Wendlebury.

Villager Annie Triebwasser monitors traffic

The village was swamped with fast-moving cars in the morning rush hour.

Wendlebury is on a minor loop road off the A41/A34 with its own bridge over the M40, which cuts out the need to use the main junction.

In an attempt to reduce rat-running, one of the turn-offs from the A41 into the village was closed for a week.

Villagers feared that once the closure was lifted, the traffic would return.

For the next three weeks until June 22 a rota of villagers are conducting a survey from Monday to Friday to back-up their claims for a speed limit and traffic calming measures.

Several people counted traffic outside the Red Lion pub and at the A41 turn-off.

Parish council chairman, Jane Burrett, said yesterday: "While we did not have as much traffic as before, I understand the traffic lights caused long tailbacks on the M40 for traffic coming south and wanting to use the junction to travel towards Oxford. This defeats the purpose of the lights that were meant to prevent traffic queuing on the motorway."

Mrs Burrett said residents were disappointed that Wendlebury would not get a 30mph speed limit until 2002.

"Villages without speed limits in the Cherwell district are going to be the last in Oxfordshire to get them," said Mrs Burrett.

Steve Bowden, deputy county council highways engineer in Bicester, said: "It was decided to do south Oxfordshire first and work clockwise round Oxfordshire. A review is being made of all village speed limits in Cherwell and consultations with parish councillors will be made in December with a view to introducing limits in the summer of 2002."

**Picture: George Reszeter