The A34, which is maintained by National Highways, was shut from 9pm on Friday night (September 27) until 6am on Monday morning (September 30).
This was on the northbound section from Hinksey Hill until Peartree with the reason for the major closure being works.
With Oxford United also playing a home match on Saturday (September 28), traffic conditions worsened with severe delays being experienced.
READ MORE: Dead body found in grounds of country pub as police descend
Motorists were left stuck in queues, having to reroute and in some cases missed public transport such as trains.
A motorist living in Oxford, who asked not to be named, also expressed his frustration at the weekend closure.
“It’s already bad again today [Sunday morning] and public transport has been a disaster,” he said.
“The traffic was so bad yesterday that my kids missed their train.
“Buses were massively delayed too and our taxi turned up 30 minutes late.”
READ MORE: Two Oxfordshire businesses named and shamed by HMRC for £181k of unpaid tax
Another anonymous city motorist said: “It’s the worst I have ever seen and there has been a complete lack of planning.
“It could easily have been eased by opening roads such as High Street and Donnington Bridge and heads should roll.
“Also, imagine what is going to happen should there be a problem on the A34 after they stick the bus gates in.
“This highlights what a loony half-baked policy it all is.”
Oxfordshire County Council responded that drivers should plan their journeys in advance to avoid delays.
READ MORE: Pub closed by police as patrol cars swarm watering hole
A spokesperson for OCC said: “We work closely with National Highways to mitigate traffic issues during events such as this. However, we would ask motorists to plan their journeys in advance when work is taking place and follow the diversions.
“National Highways is carrying out this work using weekend closures to minimise the impact on road users.
“The closure at Donnington Bridge is due to emergency work being carried out by SGN, although we also have a weight restriction in place for safety purposes.
“The High Street bus gates (which are in operation from 7.30am-6.30pm) are there to improve bus reliability and ease congestion in Oxford.
READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson gives Oxfordshire farm update after major flooding
Oxford Mail readers can enjoy 30 per cent off their first year in this flash sale 👇🗞️https://t.co/hUJZeeOZrM
— Oxford Mail (@TheOxfordMail) September 29, 2024
“The ring road is the agreed strategic diversion route for the A34, and this does not include High Street.
“We will look at the impact on the road network of the recent A34 closures and will learn any lessons we can for future events.
“However, it emphasises the importance of easing congestion in the longer term through policies such as traffic filters and improved bus services.”
The Oxford Mail has also approached National Highways and SGN for comment.
Help support trusted local news
Sign up for a digital subscription now: https://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/subscribe/
As a digital subscriber you will get:
- Unlimited access to the Oxford Mail website
- Advert-light access
- Reader rewards
- Full access to our app