"Neither council knew why the road was closed, and it was a dangerous diversion"

Maureen Mitchell was driving home on the A41 from Oxford to Grendon Underwood at around 9pm on Thursday January 16.

On her way through Bicester she noticed the main road to Grendon was closed, barricaded across the carriageway which would have taken her back towards Aylesbury.

However she was diverted through the backstreets and winding alleys of the countryside.

She said that this created a dangerous situation as HGV drivers jostled for space on roads that were already flooded.

Maureen said: " I turned off to the right, the signed diversion, and found myself on a very narrow road which was flooded in parts .

"I was travelling alone and felt very vulnerable.

"There were impatient lorry drivers on the road in front of and behind me as well as other traffic.

"When I had travelled to Oxford in the morning there were no warning signs that the road was going to be closed later.

"I eventually returned to the A41 nearer Grendon thanks to my navigating skills as there were no further diversion signs along the diverted route. When I got to the A41 it was empty and nothing appeared to be happening."

Maureen arrived home at 9.45 that evening.

She said that one of her friends had a very similar experience driving the other way, travelling from Aylesbury through to Quainton.

She added that there was no way it was 'necessary' to close the A41 for a stretch for 15 miles.

Maureen contacted Buckinghamshire County Council, however received an email stating that they knew nothing of the closure and that it would have been under the jurisdiction of Oxfordshire County Council.

However when Maureen contacted Oxfordshire County council, they said they are not responsible for that stretch of road.

Maureen said: "I am now at a loss to know who to contact as the situation in which I found myself was unacceptable. It was, to say the least, a very dangerous diversion, and appeared to be completely unnecessary."

Maureen has now contacted Thames Valley Police for more information as to why the closure was in place.

"The public need to be kept more in the loop of what their journeys will entail. It was a dangerous diversion and I felt very vulnerable driving through flooded water, competing with overly aggressive HGV drivers."

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