A LEADING councillor in Didcot has renewed calls for a busy roundabout to be rebuilt after Aldi opened a supermarket nearby.

In February, Margaret Davies urged the county council to reduce congestion at the Jubilee Way roundabout because traffic is often at a standstill at peak times.

The store off Hitchcock Way, which has hired 26 local staff, opened last month(April16) and has been packed with shoppers.

Following the opening of the supermarket, traffic has been forced to queue for the roundabout at different times of the day and councillors say they believe its arrival has led to an increase in vehicles in the area.

Labour town councillor Mrs Davies said: “The Cow Lane tunnel to the Ladygrove estate is closed until May 17 for structural repairs and that is contributing to congestion.

“But I think it’s fair to say that Aldi has increased traffic levels because a lot of people use cars to do their weekly shop.

“The traffic lights at the roundabout could also be re-sequenced to respond to heavy traffic flows at peak times.

“From 7am to 9am and from 4.30pm to 6.30pm it is actually quite difficult to get across Didcot. We now need investment in traffic systems across the town including at the Jubilee Way roundabout.”

Developer Hammerson has submitted a planning application to South Oxfordshire District Council for phase two of the Orchard shopping centre.

But Thames Travel has told Hammerson and SODC that it running services through a route that included the roundabout would badly impact keeping to the schedules.

Instead an alternate route is being proposed by Oxfordshire County Council along Station Road but some residents have objected.