THERE aren’t many thrills to be had as a driver these days on Oxfordshire’s congested roads.

But people who regularly make the trip between Oxford and Abingdon have something to celebrate — the reopening of the A4183 route which had been closed for the past year.

Subsidence caused a huge chasm between Hinksey Hill and Bagley Wood and the road had to be shut on December 20 last year to await a repair scheme.

One year on, it has reopened and county council highways chiefs have ensured that there is now a smooth ride for commuters.

Some drivers, and businesses in the area, will question why it took so long for the county council to complete the repairs. But the £1m rebuilding project involved complex engineering work and needed to be done properly.

The road is now in good shape and its reopening means fewer drivers will be using Kennington as a rat-run.

There will also be less traffic on the congested A34.

Drivers can now enjoy using the A4183 once more, but the thrifty among us will be wondering how much extra we have spent on petrol over the past year as a result of the closure.