Motorists have been left fuming as they were forced to sit in delays of up to TWO HOURS due to roadworks on main routes into Burton and South Derbyshire.
There are currently roadworks in Derby Road near the Pirelli Stadium, which will remain in place until Friday, June 30. The set of temporary lights there meant traffic was backed up all the way on to the A38 heading into town during rush-hour and into town in the opposite direction as drivers attempted to join the A38 at the Clay Mills junction from 7am onwards and it was same for the evening rush-hour. It led to delays of at least 30 minutes and up to two hours as the rush-hour began to take hold.
It was the same picture in South Derbyshire, with motorists advised to allow at least an extra half-an-hour for the journeys into work.
In Derby Road, in Burton, Cadent, formerly National Grid, is carrying out gas maintenance work and has the road dug up with temporary lights in place close to the BP garage. It is replacing old iron gas mains with more durable plastic pipes.
One motorist forced to sit in the tailbacks this morning said: "I headed into work in Burton early as I got stuck in the delays last night. I was early thinking I would miss it all. But my heart sank as I pulled off the A38 at Clay Mills and there was a stream of stationary traffic. It took me a good 30 minutes to get through. Heaven knows what it was like for people heading in to Burton after me."
This is due to continue until Friday, June 30.
Motorists hoping to use Newton Road, Newton Solney, faced similar problems as South Staffs Water is repairing a service pipe and two-way traffic lights are in place. These are due to be removed on tomorrow, Thursday, June 29.
Both the A444 at Linton Heath and the A511 at Midway are also currently subjected to roadworks with heavy delays reported.
On the A511, Cadent is also carrying out essential work in the road to connect properties to the gas network, to ensure residents can access energy from their chosen gas supplier. It means there are multi-way traffic lights in Burton Road, Midway, which are due to be in place until tomorrow, Thursday, June 29.
On the A444 at the junction with Linton Heath four-way traffic lights are delaying the daily commute.
Western Power Distribution will be on the site there until August as it replaces an underground cable. The roadworks have been causing delays for more than two weeks.
A biker caught up in the roadworks in Midway said: "There was a woman trying to back out of her drive who clearly had been waiting for quite some time so I stopped for her so she could just get out on to the road. The queues heading towards Woodville were backing up all the pretty much to Bretby. It was a nightmare."
Elsewhere in Burton and South Derbyshire, the slip road is closed on the A42 northbound at junction 13 with Ashby. It is due to reopen around July 14.This is as work begins at Flagstaff island.
