DRIVERS are losing several days every year stuck in traffic on the congested A40.

The West Oxfordshire section of the road is used by up to 32,000 vehicles each day, with many people travelling to Oxford and beyond.

Delays of at least 20 minutes are commonplace between Barnard Gate and Wolvercote at rush hour, but some motorists have now calculated the amount of time they lose on the route each year.

Eynsham resident, Martin Talbot, estimates traffic costs him 30 minutes every day on his way to work in High Wycombe.

Read again: Witney MP Robert Courts 'determined' to tackle A40 congestion

He works 47 weeks every year, which equates to an average of 117.5 hours lost on the road - almost five full days in total.

With a 2,200-home Oxfordshire Cotswolds Garden Village set to be built north of the A40 near Eynsham, Mr Talbot revealed the potential for more traffic had contributed to his decision to leave the area.

He said: I’m moving away from Eynsham and part of the reason for doing this is that I'm so anxious about the influx of commuters from the garden village. It’s madness building a new village onto a road that’s already not fit for purpose.

"I fully expect that traffic will double on its current rate when the houses are built."

Thousands of commuters will share Mr Goodwin's pain, but even those who do not travel on the A40 daily are losing dozens of hours on the route.

Andy Goodwin, also from Eynsham, uses the A40 just twice a week, but says the last quarter of a mile before reaching the village can take up to 30 minutes.

Read again: £180m plan to reduce A40 congestion

This equates to more than two days every year, but it is hoped a planned Eynsham park-and-ride will help ease the problem.

Mr Goodwin said: "As more houses go up, the traffic coming in from Oxford is going to get even worse. A park-and-ride will help, but it's still a drop in the ocean."

The park-and-ride is part of Oxfordshire County Council's £180m plan to improve the A40, with Witney MP Robert Courts calling the road a 'millstone around the necks' of West Oxfordshire businesses.

The proposals also include new bus stops on the A40, westbound bus priority and junction improvements, plus extending the A40 dual carriageway from Witney to the park-and-ride.

Read again: £102m bid to boost A40 upgrades

Last month, the county council submitted an application for £102m from the Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF), which would help pay for the upgrades.

But A40 traffic has already driven many motorists to alternative routes, including Alexina Fantato.

The Bampton resident now commutes to Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital every day via the A420, after journeys on the A40 took up to two hours every morning.

She said: "The A40 is good up to a point, but once you leave the dual carriageway and you're into single file traffic there's no way I could be at work on time."