Work on a long-delayed £4.5m road project at Bicester is due to begin in the autumn.

When completed next year, improvements to the narrow, winding Skimmingdish Lane will allow traffic to be diverted from central Bicester.

The lane runs between Buckingham Road and the ring road on the north-east side of the town.

Delays in starting the road works were caused by prolonged negotiations with the Ministry of Defence and other landowners.

More than an acre of the airfield at RAF Bicester was needed for straightening and widening the lane.

Another 15 acres were also wanted from several other landowners. About a mile of the lane will be improved.

Agreement was reached with the Ministry of Defence earlier this year but Oxfordshire County Council had to have more talks with two landowners.

Eddie Luck, the county council's assistant director of transport development, said: "Two owners were concerned that their land might have development potential because of what might be built at the airfield in the future. But we have now reached sufficient agreement to go out to tender on the scheme."

Members at the county council environment committee agreed that officers should ask contractors for tenders.

The work, which includes two roundabouts at the Launton end of the lane, is expected to take a year.

Catherine Fulljames, county councillor for the area, said: "We are obviously delighted this long-awaited road improvement is becoming a reality. I have been pressing for the work to be done for several years."

**RAF Bicester airfield may be developed for housing and leisure.