COMMUTERS said they were elated yesterday as the contraflow system at Kennington roundabout reopened after six months of roadworks.

The traffic control, which has closed one lane of the southern bypass between Heyford Hill and Hinksey Hill since June, was lifted before yesterday’s rush hour.

Drivers can now use both lanes again.

Lucy Smith, who lives in Cowley Road and drives to work at Milton Park, near Didcot, every day, said: “My drive to work was like a dream.”

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Richard Perry, manager of Heyford Hill Sainsbury’s, said: “It was a vast improvement, and customers have already said the same thing.When I came to work this morning both lanes were open, it was lovely. For the first time in weeks I didn’t have to queue to get on the A34.”

In the £8m work, Kennington Roundabout at the bottom of Abingdon Road has been converted to a “hamburger”, with one lane through the middle like Heyford Hill.

But it will not be fully operational until Sunday when the traffic lights are switched on. Until then drivers coming down Abingdon Road can only turn left towards Heyford Hill, and drivers cannot yet turn right into Abingdon Road.

President of Oxfordshire Chamber of Commerce Peter Smith said the timing was especially welcome in the run-up to Christmas.

He said: “We have received many complaints about traffic in Oxford and although much of the work is necessary, more should be done about mitigating the effect on businesses both in terms of employees getting to work and deliveries. The timing is also very good for Christmas trade in the city.”

The remainder of the works, which will not affect traffic, are due to be complete by December 19.

Oxfordshire County Council has also added a new lane from the southern bypass at Hinksey Hill on to the A34 southbound, meaning drivers no longer have to queue.

The project aimed to increase the capacity of the roads by 30 per cent, already achieved with similar work at Heyford Hill and Headington ring road junctions.

During the roadworks, commuters said journeys through Oxford took three or four times longer than usual.

Oxford Bus Company and Stagecoach both reported delays of an hour or more on city services during the worst of the congestion.

County cabinet member for transport David Nimmo Smith said he was delighted the work was completed on budget and just three weeks behind schedule.

Ironically, he said work to waterproof a bridge section of the road over the Thames had been delayed by rain in November.

A lane-changeover in the contraflow system was delayed by four weeks in September, to mid-October, after unexpected underground cables were discovered at the site, but this did not impact on the overall completion date.

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