Resurfacing work on a main road into Abingdon is now nearing completion.

There have been a number of closures of Oxford Road in recent months so that contractors could complete the resurfacing.

This has meant there have been diversions in place, with drivers forced to take local diversions.

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The resurfacing is part of a £7m countywide scheme.

Nearly 100 roads across Oxfordshire are being improved as part of the spring highway maintenance programme.

Oxfordshire County Council and its contractor Milestone Infrastructure Ltd have been visiting more than 50 locations between April 8 and June 3 to carry out surface dressing work.

Abingdon North county councillor Nathan Ley has been monitoring the work in the town and keeping residents up to date on Facebook.

The programme is part-funded by the government, with £2.6m coming from the Department for Transport’s road resurfacing fund.

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Around one million square metres of carriageway is being treated, making it the biggest surface dressing programme undertaken in Oxfordshire for at least 20 years.

(Image: Andy Ffrench) Bill Cotton, Oxfordshire County Council’s corporate director for environment and place, said earlier: “We know how important the quality of our roads is to our residents and this significant programme of work will help keep many miles of highways in a better condition for years to come.

“Surface dressing is one of the most cost-effective methods of roads maintenance and spring is the best time to start this programme of work. We would urge motorists to watch out for notifications of the work taking place and to drive carefully after it has been carried out.”

Driving too fast on a recently treated road can result in broken windscreens or chipped paintwork, as the friction from the tyres can dislodge loose chips. There is also an increased risk of skidding while the new chippings ‘bed in’.

For these reasons, an advisory speed limit of 20mph will be put in place. It is important to adhere to these low speeds until all warning signs have been removed.

(Image: Andy Ffrench) Richard Lovewell, business director for Milestone’s Oxfordshire contract, added earlier: “We’re proud to be embarking on Oxfordshire’s biggest programme of this kind in 20 years. Surface dressing is one of the best and most cost-efficient and sustainable way to extend the life of our county’s roads.

“Thanks to close collaboration with Oxfordshire County Council and our supply chain, we’ve planned the work in a way that minimises disruption and maximises efficiencies. We’ve also positioned Oxfordshire right at the start of the national surface dressing season.”

Some drivers have been caught out by the resurfacing project's timetable and have ended up having to reverse and take a different route.

Road markings have not yet been added to the new road surface in Abingdon.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.