Residents fear roadworks on the busy A34 will cause thousands of vehicles to rat-run through their village every day.

The Highways Agency plans to start repairing the noisy concrete surface of a five-mile stretch of the A34 between Oxford's Pear Tree roundabout and Weston-on-the-Green in September.

The move comes after a long campaign to reduce noise on the road by residents living in Kidlington and the surrounding area.

Lorries will be banned from going through Weston-on-the-Green on the B430, but villagers are worried that drivers of up to 69,000 cars a day will look for an alternative route.

John Mair, chairman of the B430 Action Group, said: "At peak time, up to 2,500 vehicles an hour use the A34, according to Highways Agency figures.

"traffic is like water, and rather than face hours in traffic queues, some of it is very likely to flow elsewhere and seek quicker back routes.

"Long-term gain but much sort-term pain looks to be the recipe for the villages surrounding the A34 roadworks this autumn and winter."

Mr Mair called on the Highways Agency to rethink its traffic management plan during the work.

He said: "We welcome this work. It will reduce noise pollution for all of us who live within the constant hum of the A34.

"But we ask the Highways Agency to take all possible measures on and off the A34 to dissuade long range motorists from rat-running through our beautiful villages and making our lives a misery.

A Highways Agency spokesman said: "Our communications strategy is designed to reduce traffic using the A34 and the number of potential rat- runners."