A SECTION of the A34 northbound will be completely shut for the whole weekend, starting tonight (Friday), with more weekend closures planned in the coming weeks.

UPDATE - Drivers face '45 minute delays' as weekend closure starts

The section between the A423 Hinksey Hill junction and the A420 Botley Interchange will be shut for Highways England repair works to the Botley flyover.

It will be shut completely in the northbound direction, and one lane of the southbound carriageway will also be closed, for two, possibly three, weekends.

CLICK HERE for all the info we know about the closures, including diversions

The dates of the weekend closures are currently scheduled as follows: 8pm on Friday 18 October (today) through to 5:30am on Monday 21 October 8pm on Friday 1 November through to 5:30am on Monday 4 November 8pm on Friday 8 November through to 5:30am on Monday 11 November (contingency). 

A series of weekday overnight closures will also be needed.

Oxford Mail:

Highways England has written to residents living in the area to warn them about noise.

Councillor Emily Smith posted the closure map on her Facebook page saying: 'Access to South Hinksey will be restricted. Please plan your journeys carefully - and avoid the A34 where possible (I suspect it will be chaos!)'

A leaflet sent out to parish councils from Highways England says: 'Highways England and its contractor Kier Highways will be carrying out essential repairs to the bridge which carries the A34 trunk road over the B4044 Botley Road, near Oxford'.

'During these weekend periods the A34 northbound carriageway will be closed from the A423 Hnksey Hill junction to the A420 Botley Interchange, and lane 2 of the A34 southbound carriageway will be closed to proved our works with a sufficient safety zone.'

It adds that the bridge, built in 1961, has been 'suffering from extensive deterioration due to historical waterproofing failure leading to significant potholes forming on a regular basis.'