MOTORISTS travelling through North Oxford face two more weeks of delays due to gas mains work in Banbury Road.

The £2.5m project to install new pipes began on September 22 and has caused long tailbacks around the Marston Ferry Road junction.

After a flood of complaints, the phasing of temporary traffic lights has been changed and Moreton Road closed to try to reduce delays.

But residents and local councillors say Oxfordshire County Council should have done more in advance to divert traffic away from the junction.

Beech Croft Road resident and mother-of-two Ruth Rundle said the traffic had been horrendous, with the closure of the pedestrian crossings making it difficult to cross the road. Her daughter’s bus to school in Headington is often delayed.

Mrs Rundle added: “They knew it would be chaos and they could have managed it better. It has caused lots of disruption and delayed everyone.”

Summertown county councillor Jean Fooks said she had been inundated with calls and e-mails from residents. She added: “We accept work has to be done but people need better warnings and a comprehensive diversion to stop the log-jam.

“They should have monitored the situation to see what was happening and taken action.”

Council spokesman Owen Moreton said officers were working with Southern Gas to minimise disruption but said some problems were inevitable.

He added: “The temporary lights are being manually operated between 7am and 7pm to help keep traffic moving and the council continues to monitor the situation.”

Southern Gas spokesman Duncan MacDonald said the work was on track and due to end by Wednesday, October 20.