Crunch time is arriving to choose a road system to provide some relief for Witney's growing traffic problems.

A long-awaited report is suggesting three options -- but the earliest start date for any of them could be as late as 2006.

The Cogges Link Road, first put into local planning policy 15 years ago, is still in the frame, despite doubts raised last year about its negative impact on the River Windrush flood plain. The West End Link, providing another river crossing between West End and Hailey Road to Burford Road and the town centre, is also possible.

And a scheme to improve the Shores Green junction on the A40 Witney bypass, providing entrance and exit slip roads in both directions, is also feasible.

All three are in the running after independent consultants Babtie carried out a year-long environmental impact assessment study for Oxfordshire County Council.

According to David Robertson, the council's executive member for transport who lives in Witney, the consultants looked at 15 different ways of providing solutions to the town's traffic headaches.

The three options effectively left standing are:

Cogges Link alone.

West End Link and enlargement of Shores Green junction.

Both the Cogges Link and West End Link.

Babtie are now fine tuning the three options, with a report going to the county's executive in June. A planning application should be ready by late September or early October.

"We are coming now to crunch time," Mr Robertson said. "Witney has had to wait long enough.

"We are keeping an open mind as to which option is the best."