RESIDENTS breathed a sigh of relief as problems around Bicester Village were alleviated yesterday. Cones were placed in residential roads around Kings Avenue to stop shoppers parking in the area as the centre’s car park filled up.

Cherwell Close resident Derek Knight, 67, said: “It’s a lot better than it was on Boxing Day, because that was an absolute nightmare.

“They’ve put cones up and it seems to have deterred them, although I don’t know why they didn’t just do that in the first place.”

He said issues with emergency services access to the area on Boxing Day may have influenced the reaction.

He said: “I was stood there when the fire engine was struggling to get through, and I think that put the wind up them a little bit.”

Ambulance and fire crews were delayed when they attended an incident at Evenlode House in the late morning on Boxing Day.

A 79-year-old woman had been found unconscious at her home, and the emergency response took four minutes longer than planned because of irresponsible parking.

But despite the relief for neighbours of the outlet, traffic issues still blighted major routes to Bicester Village, with more than 20 miles of queueing traffic reported on the northbound A34, and delays on the M40 at junction nine.

On Boxing Day, the outlet urged shoppers to visit by train from yesterday after certain roads ground to a halt. It reported visitor figures of about 40,000 on December 26 and another busy day was expected yesterday.