DRIVERS have urged the county council to consult the Japanese engineers who fixed a giant sinkhole in just two days after complaining the fifteen-month Wolvercote and Cutteslowe roundabouts scheme had only made things worse.

Six weeks after the completion of the £10m scheme to improve traffic flow motorists gave a mixed reaction to the new layout.

A district councillor even said Oxfordshire County Council should consult the engineers who hit the headlines this week by fixing a sinkhole - half the size of an Olympic swimming pool - in the Japanese city of Fukuoka in 48 hours.

The city's mayor then apologised for the 'great trouble' caused.

Councillor Sharone Parnes said that in comparison the county council's 15-month project had made no difference.

He said: "There is no difference other than the prospect that in off-peak times, such as late night, you have to wait stationary at a red light when there are no other vehicles around at the empty roundabout anyway.

"Next time can Oxfordshire County Council at least preliminarily consult the Japanese engineers who fixed the giant sinkhole in one week.

"And perhaps they could learn from Mayor Soichiro Takashima's noble apology for the 'great trouble'".

The scheme to widen the A40 and A44 on the approach to the roundabouts and install traffic lights drew criticism from motorists who claimed there were large periods of inactivity.

It also caused delays and disruption across the city's roads throughout the 15 months.

The new 'smart' traffic lights - switched on six weeks ago - left drivers frustrated but the council said the lights would need time to learn and adapt.

Yesterday morning traffic flowed smoothly through the roundabouts, with cars waiting in queues for no more than a minute at a time.

Emma Lee, from Wheatley, said: "The lights have made my journeys to Cheltenham much quicker from Wheatley, it's a thumbs up from me."

Christine Read, who lives on Five Mile Drive which leads on to the Wolvercote roundabout, said: "It makes the exit from Five Mile Drive onto the roundabout much easier."

County council board member for transport David Nimmo Smith said: "I am pleased that the network is settling down and that the additional capacity at the roundabouts is successful.

"It should be recognised that this project is only one of a number of similar road projects which have been carried out around Oxford over the last few years - and works are currently being carried out in Headington."

But others revealed their frustrations at the new system and that the flow was actually better before the lights were switched on.

Paulo Timmisio said: "Seems that anyone staying on the A40 benefits from improvements, but people coming out of town during PM peak hour suffers worse delays the previously.

"It was flowing brilliantly until they turned the lights on."

Regular commuter Luke Clapham said: "The traffic still queues from Kidlington roundabout all the way to Cutteslowe roundabout in the mornings, it took me 35 minutes yesterday.

"Nothing has changed from that direction at least."