REBUILDING of a key road bridge over a railway line in Oxford which has caused months of traffic problems is now complete.

Traffic is able to use the Old Abingdon Road through Redbridge again after Network Rail completed work on the new structure.

Motorists said they were relieved at the news – which marks the end of a project by Network Rail to create extra headroom through tunnels and under bridges to allow 9ft 6in-tall shipping containers to be carried on standard rail wagons.

It also provides clearance for power cables for electric trains due to start running between Oxford and London by 2016.

At times, the diversions caused by closure of the road, which started in November last year, caused delays of up to 30 minutes as traffic had to use the A423 Southern Bypass to reach Abingdon Road.

The new bridge was built as part of a project by the rail industry, backed by the Government, to get up to 50,000 lorry-loads of freight a year off the region’s roads, especially the A34 between Oxfordshire and Southampton, and on to the railway.

The work was delayed because of the cold snap last December.

But Network Rail said engineers had worked hard to get back on schedule and the barriers on the road were removed yesterday, just one day later than originally planned.

An Oxford taxi driver, who asked not to be named, said: “Anyone who makes their living from driving will have been frustrated by these delays, so I’m pleased that the work has now finished.”

Engineers removed most of the old bridge over Christmas and lifted its replacement into place in sections in January and February.

The road approaches were also rebuilt to match the height of the new bridge’s deck.

Drivers using the Redbridge park-and-ride site, the only one serving the south of the city, were also caught up in the jams as the only way in and out was via Abingdon Road.

Oxfordshire County Council said there was no alternative route available for traffic which usually came off the A34 at Hinksey Hill interchange and used Old Abingdon Road to avoid the Kennington roundabout.

Kennington Parish Council chairman Peter Biggs had hoped the bridge closure would cut rat-run traffic through the village. But he said frustrated motorists had been driving through the village to try to dodge queues on the A34.

Network Rail project manager Graham Beal said: “The A34 is one of the most congested roads in the country and much of the traffic is HGVs transporting goods to and from Southampton docks.

“With the cost of road congestion to the British economy estimated at more than £10bn a year, this freight upgrade will provide extra capacity to get freight off Oxfordshire’s roads and on to the railway.”