Villagers will be able to drive to their homes for the first time in a month next week as a rolling road block moves out.

Access to North Hinksey Village has been closed since March 1 as part of Thames Water’s £7m sewer expansion works.

The work prompted fears villagers would be cut off and the village pub’s profits hit.

But last night villagers praised the contract workers and said they had worked hard to minimise disruption.

Contractor Optimise provided a minibus to transport disabled and elderly residents from the road block to their homes.

Pauline Skinner, 65, said: “We all have to go through this slight inconvenience but we couldn’t have wished for a nicer company to be working on the ground.”

The rolling road block, which has shut North Hinksey Lane in sections, is expected to leave the village by the end of the week.

The section between the church and North Hinksey Primary School will be shut during the Easter Holidays.

Work is expected to be fully completed by the end of April.

Eric Batts, Vale of White Horse District Council member for North Hinksey and Wytham, said: “The residents in the village are happy it is almost coming to an end.

“The sewage problem has been going on for more than 15 years and anyone who has lived here for a long time will be glad to see it resolved.”

Access to The Fishes pub was cut off on Wednesday. Last month the pub said the road closure could cost it £1,000 a day. But Helen Sprason, Oxford manager for owners Peach Pub Company, said: “It has not been as bad as originally thought.”

Optimise operations manager Luke McDermott said work was three weeks ahead of schedule. He said: “In all my years of travelling around the country for work, this has by far been the nicest village with the greatest residents to work alongside.”