Contractors arrived on Monday for the week-long schedule of work but traffic has been running smoothly until now before temporary traffic lights started to operate.

There is single-lane traffic through the roadworks on the section of the carriageway close to Oxford Wine Company.

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There are a large number of diggers and other vehicles being used.

(Image: Andy Ffrench) A spokesman for the county council said earlier: “The work (September 16-25) will take place during the daytime (7am-7pm).

“Temporary traffic lights will be in place. They will be manually controlled and traffic flows monitored.”

(Image: Andy Ffrench) It is understood highways bosses have chosen to schedule the resurfacing work while the rail bridge is shut, as less traffic is using the Botley Road at the moment, compared to when the route is fully open.

Network Rail is working on a £161m improvement scheme for Oxford rail station which has resulted in the closure of Botley Road at the rail bridge.

(Image: Andy Ffrench) Rail bosses had hoped to reopen Botley Road in October, but in July they announced that the project has overrun and so the road will not be able to reopen in October.

A review into the whole project is under way involving the Department for Transport, Network Rail and the county council.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.