SHOCKED residents woke up to find their street completely blocked by roadworks that were not due to start until a fortnight later.

The roadworks in North Hinksey Lane form part of a massive £7m Thames Water project to expand sewers in the area.

But after finding a bit of spare time, it appears the company decided to start the work early.

Temporary traffic lights have now been installed and the road has partially reopened.

North Hinksey resident Briony Newport said: “We have known for a long time now that work would start from February 29.

“But I was driving down the road with my husband, going into Botley, when we found it had already been closed.

“There was no sign off the A34 warning anyone or anything like that. We couldn’t believe it.

“Obviously we want the work done and I know the school is on half term so it’s a good time to get started, but this work is due to take five months.”

North Hinksey county councillor Janet Godden said she had been inundated with complaints.

She said: “It would appear that Thames Water wanted to move into North Hinksey Lane two weeks earlier than anyone was expecting them.

“They originally told everyone February 29 and didn’t inform the right people about this, so people were naturally very surprised.

“People found themselves having to turn off North Hinksey Lane, on to the A34, all the way down and across the Botley interchange.

“It’s great if it means they will be finishing work a bit earlier in August, but residents should have been told.”

Thames Water apologised for any inconvenience and said the early start would mean the work would finish early.

Spokesman Becky Johnson said: “We held an additional public drop-in to notify local residents that the road closure was being brought forward.

“We also sent out just under 500 letters.”

“We have altered the route of the new sewer, which will reduce the overall length of time that North Hinksey Lane is affected.”

Large parts of Oxfordshire flooded in July 2007 and West Oxford was particularly hard hit as the sewers could not cope with the volume of rainfall.

About 20 planning applications in the area were on hold due to concerns the sewer system could not cope.

This work is the final part of the project to alleviate the problem and is due to be completed later this year.

It involves the building of a storage tank at the south end of North Hinksey Lane and enlarging the sewer 1.7km along the road.