REPAIRS to a badly worn road originally laid by German prisoners of war have begun after years of complaints.

Nowell Road in Rose Hill, Oxford, closed on Monday for a new surface to be put down. The work is expected to take five weeks.

Rose Hill city councillor Ed Turner, who lives in the road, said he was delighted it was finally being repaired.

He said: “For years I have been pushing for a programme to resurface Rose Hill’s roads. That has not happened and what we have instead is more piecemeal resurfacing. Rivermead Road was the last one done and Nowell Road has been in the worst state.

“There are a lot of potholes there, a lot of people have had their vehicles damaged. There is a lot of relief it is being done.”

Mr Turner said it was believed the original concrete slabs were laid by German prisoners during the Second World War or shortly afterwards.

He said: “There are still sections of some roads that will need doing, but Nowell Road is the single biggest one that needs to be sorted. It has been a grave concern for a number of years.”

During the work, the road is being closed between the western junction of Lenthall Road and Mortimer Road, between the junction of Mortimer Road and Pattison Place and the junction of Pattison Place and Lambourn Road.

People whose homes are only accessible from the closed section of road are still allowed access.

Roads authority Oxfordshire County Council said signs are being displayed informing people of the closure and diversion routes are marked.

Rose Hill Tenants’ and Residents’ Association chairman Terry Kirkby said the work was long overdue. He said: “These roads on the western side of the estate were constructed in the post-war years using reinforced concrete and, needless to say, have deteriorated to the point we have reached today.

“The tenants and residents association has consistently pointed out to Oxfordshire County Council the shocking state of roads in Rose Hill and the dangers to all road users they pose. We are grateful to Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, the councillors and officers for undertaking the work.”

Mr Kirkby also called on the councils to look at the possibility of installing traffic lights at the junction of Ashhurst Way and Oxford Road.