Badgers have left a major road into Oxford close to collapse with their tunnelling on Cumnor Hill.

The road between Botley and Cumnor will have to be closed for five weeks in January because of the damage done.

With parts of the road now said to be sinking, council engineers say the repair work is needed to protect road users “from the future risk of road surface collapse”.

The road and embankment between Arnold’s Way and Delamere Way is having to be made safe after years of badger activity.

And with the bill expected to run into tens of thousands of pounds, the troublesome badger sett has been tracked down and move to the countryside, well away from Cumnor Hill.

Investigations carried out last year revealed that a network of badger tunnels had undermined an 80 metre section of both the footway and the carriageway of the road between Botley and Cumnor.

The council says the surveys showed there was no immediate danger to users of the busy road.

But the extent of the damage means extensive repair work lasting up to ten weeks will have to be undertaken in the New Year.

The chairman of Cumnor Parish Council, Dr Philip Hawtin, said: “The road is steadily sinking. The section of road is on the side of a hill, where there is a large badger sett. It is well established. But their tunnelling has undermined the road causing it to sink in places.”

Oxfordshire County Council outlined its plans to Cumnor residents at a public meeting this week.

Dr Hawtin said he feared County Hall had decided to go for a cheaper option than had originally been proposed. He said: “I understand that they want to stabilise the side of the hill and fill in the holes made by the badger activity, rather than completely rebuilding it.”

He feared the work would badly hit bus services, adding: “There is no doubt that this is going to cause major disruption for between five and eight weeks. The biggest problem is going to be the many local residents who rely on buses. For people who walk or cycle into town it will be manageable. But bus users may end up feeling marooned.”

Senior county council engineer Andy Johnson said: “After exploring a number of options with Natural England and local residents, a consensus emerged in favour of removing the badgers, reconstructing the carriageway and stabilising the embankment.

“The work will involve driving a series of interlocking steel sheets into the embankment (to a depth of approximately five metres) to support the footway and the carriageway in the event of future badger activity. After consulting with residents, Natural England and a local badger group, the badgers were relocated under licence issued by Natural England during September and October.

“Although surveys showed there was no imminent danger to road users, it was decided that repair works would need to be carried out to protect highway users from the future risk of road surface collapse.”

The area has a history of landslides and in the 1930s the road had to be substantially repaired because of badger damage.

The main works are planned to begin on January 12, lasting approximately eight to ten weeks, with the road closed for approximately four to five weeks. When the road is not closed, temporary traffic signals will be in operation.

The diversion during the road closure will be via the A420 from Cumnor to Botley Roundabout. The section of road that will be closed is between Arnold’s Way and Delamare Way. Access will be maintained for cyclists and pedestrians. Residents' access to their homes will be maintained.

Badgers are notorious for causing roads to collapse by burrowing. But the Badgers Act 1992 gave legal protection to badgers and their setts, making it an offence to disturb or harm them.

Wytham Woods, a short distance to Cumnor, is said to have one of the densest populations of badgers in the world.