The reopening of a road in Oxfordshire has been delayed due to a phase of a controversial roundabout improvement project taking longer than expected.

The southern side of Banbury Road from the roundabout to Lodge Close in Bicester is currently shut due to the Banbury Road Roundabout improvement project taking place. 

The project is currently in phase three and the road was supposed to reopen at the end of this month.

However, due to a problem in the supply change, it has been delayed by a week.

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The road is now expected to re-open on November 7 instead of October 31.

A spokesperson for Oxfordshire County Council said: "Work on the Banbury Road roundabout improvements is progressing well, but due to a problem in our supply chain the opening of Banbury Road south will be delayed by one week.
 
“The utility company that is diverting the telecommunications cables has had to appoint a new subcontractor at short notice due to their original subcontractor going out of business.

"This meant that their work started later than expected.

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The spokesperson said until November 7, the closure will remain in effect for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with narrow lanes and traffic lights on the northern half of the road to manage traffic. 

They added: "The traffic lights will still be manned.

“This one-week delay is not expected to affect the end date of the project.”