WORK TO improve Oxford’s Rail network is driving city motorists loco.

The project to replace a bridge over the tracks at Redbridge, in South Oxford, has closed off Old Abingdon Road until March – causing chaos to motorists using the city’s ring road.

Since work began earlier this month, drivers using the Redbridge Park-and-Ride – the only one serving the south of the city – can now only exit on to Abingdon Road, a situation that is causing rush-hour delays of up to half-an-hour, affecting Abingdon Road, the Southern Bypass and the A34.

But Oxfordshire County Council, the authority responsible for the traffic diversion, said there was no alternative – and motorists would have to put up with the hold-ups for the next four months.

Amy Bone, who commutes from Greater Leys, said: “It has been a nightmare. I have to leave home 30 minutes earlier.”

Nicki Kilpin, a park-and-ride user who travels in from Didcot, said: “It has been awful, it has definitely increased delays.

“It takes 30 minutes longer to get to work.”

Paul Clark, who commutes to Redbridge Park-and-Ride from Woodcote, said traffic was “horrendous”.

He said: “It is taking an extra 20 minutes to get out of the car park each night.”

Debbie Bridges, who drives in from Abingdon, said: “There has been a definite increase in traffic. It’s worse in the evening because you cannot turn left, and it’s taking 25 minutes to get out of the car park.”

Oxfordshire County Council spokesman Marcus Mabberley said: “While the closure is in place there is simply no alternative but for all traffic exiting the park-and-ride to turn right, back on to the main Abingdon Road.

“Inevitably this is causing congestion and frustration for motorists during busy times of the day. This will unfortunately remain the case for the duration of the works.”

Kennington Parish Council chairman Peter Biggs had hoped the bridge closure would cut rat-run traffic through the village.

But he said frustrated commuters were now driving through the village to leapfrog queues on the A34.

“People who used to cut through Kennington to turn right over the bridge are still coming through the village and turning left on to the bypass because of the tailbacks on the A34,” he said.

Graham Jones, of business campaign group Rox, feared traffic congestion could deter city centre Christmas shoppers.

He added: “This work has to be done, but if they can minimise the impact up until Christmas that will help.”

The work is being carried out by Network Rail and will see the bridge rebuilt to allow ‘high cube’ rail freight containers to be transported from Southampton docks to the Midlands.

Network Rail said the upgrade, part of a £71m investment across the southern part of its network, will take an estimated 50,000 lorry journeys a year off the region’s roads.

The bridge will be open to Oxford-bound traffic between December 10-20, but then closes again until work finishes in March.

Network Rail spokesman Russell Spink said: “We thank road users for their patience.

“Oxford residents will be all too aware that the A34 is one of the most congested roads in the country.

“With the cost of road congestion to the British economy estimated at more than £10bn a year, the project will provide vital extra capacity to get freight off the roads.”

Mr Spink said the bridge will be rebuilt over Christmas to minimise disruption to rail services.

A pedestrian bridge is open to the public for the duration of the work.

Oxford Bus Company spokesman Phil Ashworth said the congestion was causing delays to services.

He added: “It seems to be having an unpredictable knock-on effect on other roads, which is probably people trying to find a route to avoid traffic.”

Stagecoach said it had not experienced problems.