DRIVERS are being asked to take care after changes on the A34 as part of the £44m scheme to rebuild Wolvercote Viaduct.

Yesterday, traffic heading south on the busy road was diverted on to a new temporary bridge, while tonight drivers going north are due to be moved on to the former southbound carriageway, so the northbound viaduct can be replaced.

The deck of the stand-in bridge will be slid across on to new piers to form the permanent southbound carriageway once the old bridge is removed. The current arrangement is expected to be in use until next February.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: “People need to be aware it is a different layout and they just need to take care and look carefully at the signs. It all seems to have gone well overnight.”

The speed limit will remain at 40mph, with average speed cameras in use on the stretch for the first time since work began last summer.

The project is due to be finished in summer 2010. Picture: Jon Lewis