DESIGNS for a long-awaited link road to cut traffic jams at north Oxford's busiest junctions could be revealed next spring.

Oxfordshire County Council says the road between the A40 and A44 is expected to be built between autumn 2018 and autumn 2019, with £7.4m secured towards it.

The £11.8m scheme is seen as vital to relieving future congestion at the Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts.

Residents have also called for its construction to be prioritised because of concerns the planned Northern Gateway science park will make traffic worse.

Wolvercote Neighbourhood Forum chairman Chris Hardman said: "We see it as absolutely necessary.

"This link road needs to be built before the science park construction begins, simply because of the congestion and pollution problems it will raise.

"Theoretically it should take traffic headed for the A34 away from Wolvercote Roundabout and stop the A40 from becoming a strategic highway.

"At the moment, with the level of cars going through it, that is what Sunderland Avenue has become and if there is going to be more homes at the Northern Gateway and at Barton Park, the roads are just going to get worse."

County councillor for Wolvercote Jean Fooks added: "The link road is vital and we need to see it get built as soon as possible."

The link road would run from a new junction on the A40, just west of the A34 flyover, to the Loop Farm roundabout, next to the Pear Tree interchange.

It is hoped it would allow traffic headed to the A34 to avoid having to pass through Wolvercote Roundabout.

County council leader Ian Hudspeth said the authority's main focus on the A40 remained plans for a park and ride at Eynsham and an eastbound bus lane.

But he added: "We have got to look at the benefit a link road would bring, but that involves looking at the evidence and whether landowners will agree.

"Perhaps St John's College, and other nearby developers, may be able to contribute some funding."

A county council spokesman said: "Planning and design work is currently underway to establish the preferred alignment and junction arrangements at either end of the link road.

"Once this work has been completed the county council will set a programme for consultation.

"The design continues to evolve as a result of the traffic modelling and there are opportunities which still need to be confirmed, but which may reduce the construction costs."

An update on the scheme circulated to county councillors said planning work had been extended due to Local Plan studies being done in West Oxfordshire and Cherwell district, but was expected to finish in the spring.