DRIVERS are facing major delays in and around Oxford this morning as George Street is closed for a month.

Motorists have said traffic in Beaumont Street and Hythe Bridge Street is at a standstill while other streets affected include Worcester Street, Oxpens Road and Park End Street. 

Traffic is building up along Botley Road as temporary traffic results have been installed in Park End Street. 

There are also reports of congestion on Woodstock Road and St Giles coming into the city centre. Drivers are reporting journey times of up to 45 minutes from Summertown into Oxford.  

James Dixon, manager of The Grapes in George Street, said: "We don’t know what the effect will be yet but our rubbish cannot be collected. It is just a massive inconvenience for everyone."

Driver Paul Snelgrove said it had taken him more than an hour to get into the city centre from Bicester.

He said: "I don't normally come in by car, I usually take the park and ride but I need to park my car in the city centre. It’s frustrating and painfully slow."

Oxfordshire County Council has agreed to close the road so ISG Construction Ltd can carry out work on a building.

George Street will be closed between Cornmarket and Victoria Court for around four weeks and there will then be one-way traffic only for six weeks.

Bus services are being re-routed via Beaumont Street, where parking has been suspended to allow for temporary stops.

Stagecoach Oxfordshire said six of its bus routes are affected by the closure, the S1, S2, S3, 14, 17 and 18.

Oxford Bus Company has said its park and ride service between Pear Tree and Redbridge is terminating in the city centre and not operate as a through-route.