MORE than 200 people have signed a petition launched by commuters "sick to death" of crawling to work after the £11 million improvements to Milton Interchange near Didcot.

Frustrated drivers had hoped Oxfordshire County Council's re-vamp would solve all of their traffic woes, but since its re-opening on May 9, they claim they are still experiencing travel nightmares.

Kim Pringle, who started the petition, said she and other local residents had been promised a junction that would reduce traffic and waiting times.

She said: "For months local residents have had to sustain agonising commutes to Milton Park and to and from Didcot.

"We have been held to painstaking 50mph speed limits introduced on the A34 southbound from the Marcham Interchange, while drivers faced regular tailbacks on the A4130 leading up to the junction."

Now, she said: "Rush hour traffic is unbearable and motorists often sit at the traffic lights, watching them change colour numerous times without movement.

"We are asking for a review, a traffic survey that identifies and confirms our concerns and looks to find a solution to this ridiculous situation."

The petition lists a number of complaints ranging from the "dreadful" route into Milton Business Park from the A34 and A4130 Harwell/ Steventon to the traffic lights not changing for long enough.

Since it started a week ago, 221 residents have signed the petition on change.org, including Sarah Phillips who lives in Wantage.

She said: "I'm sick to death of crawling to work in Milton Park, having been patient for a year, waiting for the works to be finished, the traffic is still horrendous.

"It is a joke."

The interchange boasts a new "hamburger" style roundabout, which takes traffic from Didcot travelling westbound on the A4130 through the centre of the roundabout and then onto the northbound A34 towards Oxford and the M40.

The Milton Park Link was widened to four lanes eastbound on the A4130 and on the A34 slip road southbound.

The roundabout itself has been widened as has the southbound off slip road and the A4130 approach from Steventon.

Gemma Wheeler, who used to live in Milton Heights but has since moved to Steventon, added: "The problem has always been getting into and out of Milton Park.

"This roundabout has not changed this or waiting times."

Oxfordshire County Council spokesman Martin Crabtree said that on the whole, feedback on the new interchange had been "very positive".

But he also said the traffic lights on the interchange and approaches are currently operating a temporary fixed-timing system, and the council contractors were in the process of installing a new "intelligent" lights system, which will monitor and respond to the demands of traffic throughout the day.

That is expected to be completed in early July.

To sign the petition visit: change.org/p/oxfordshire-county-council-we-demand-a-solution-to-the-agonising-commute-at-the-milton-interchange-didcot