HEADINGTON could see another 18 months of roadworks hell as part of a £12.5m package of transport improvements.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Access to Headington project would see new cycle lanes, pedestrian crossings and bus lanes constructed in a bid to ease traffic congestion.

Work could start as early as summer 2016 and last until to spring in 2018, coming off the back of 18 months of roadworks in London Road, which finished earlier this year.

Oxford City Councillor Ruth Wilkinson said: “I think roadworks have become a feature of life in Headington.

“People will generally tolerate roadworks if they think the end result will be good. But in the past there have been problems...that really is frustrating for everyone.”

Dad-of-three Andrew Donaldson, who lives in Colterne Close near Cherwell Drive, said: “I can’t believe the council is planning to make so many more changes to transport in Oxfordshire.

“The changes they have already made in Oxford have made driving a nightmare and I can’t imagine that the new proposals will do anything to improve that in the short term.”

The 44-year-old added: “I’m now just anticipating two more years of driving hell.”

Cherwell Drive will see the removal of about 32 residents-only parking bays and all the grass verges under the scheme, along with trees in Headley Way, and about 38 residents’ parking bays in Windmill Road to accommodate widened bus and cycle lanes.

Oxfordshire county councillor for Headington Roz Smith called the proposed changes “drastic”.

She said: “This is such a big thing for this area of Oxford and there are no answers from the questions.

“If we lose car parking spaces in Windmill Road and Headley Road, where are people going to park?

“What is the evidence to say the junction changes will work? It is really necessary to decimate the grass verges? All of these will affect residents.”

The project would cover the B4495 from Cherwell Drive/Marsh Lane to Horspath Driftway and the Eastern Bypass, as well as Old Road.

The county council said designs for the Access to Headington scheme, which is now under consultation, were in the early stages and there were exhibitions for the public planned until July 11, with the consultation due to end on August 7.

Headington resident Mike Ratcliffe, 45, said the county council was making sure traffic flowed at the expense of residents.

He added: “We want to see a balance and I’m finding it worrying what we are seeing.

“The county council has the mentality to clear everything and let the traffic through to the hospitals and universities and it’s just not getting the balance right.

“The strategic approach of the county council is wrong. If you are going to take car parking spaces out and grass verges, residents will want to get something back.”

Mrs Smith was also worried the local authority had not looked at the potential rat runs drivers use, but said she was pleased to see the road crossing at Windmill Road and London Road being redesigned.

She added: “I think they are missing a trick. The road going through Quarry Hollow is often used by drivers to access Headington. It is right next to a nursery and there have been so many near misses.”

A new park-and-ride site for hospital staff to cut congestion at the John Radcliffe was proposed by Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for transport David Nimmo Smith.

Speaking about the Access to Headington scheme, Mr Nimmo Smith said: “The plan is being consulted on and is not cast in stone. There are opportunities for comments to be made, considered by the county offices and amendments made to the plan.”

Spokeswoman for Oxfordshire County Council Emily Reed added: “The proposals are at an early stage and once the consultation has finished, all comments received will be considered as part of the next stage of design work.”