Roadworks contractors say sorry for Lakeland jams (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Roadworks contractors say sorry for Lakeland jams

9:37am Friday 9th May 2008 in

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CONTRACTORS have apologised to hundreds of motorists delayed by roadworks for hours on one of the Lake District's main tourist routes.

United Utilities said they were sorry after roadworks caused "horrendous" traffic jams on A591 between Windermere and Grasmere.

The delays were triggered because the contractors relied on automatic traffic lights instead of controlling them manually, which meant that traffic flows could not be managed to prevent an excess build up of southbound vehicles from Ambleside to Windermere.

A United Utilities spokeswoman apologised for the delays and asked people to bear with UU while essential work to improve the road surface was completed Cumbria Highways area manager Nick Raymond admitted the impact on motorists was totally unacceptable. With the benefit of hindsight, he said his authority could perhaps have insisted on night-time working. He had now insisted the remaining work should be carried out at night to avoid any repeat of the long delays that occurred on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week, when some southbound motorists took one and a half hours to travel little more than a mile.

For full story, see the May 9 Westmorland Gazette.