DRIVERS have been urged to break their old habits and wise up to the new traffic system if they want to blitz queues and cut journey times in Kendal, reports Beth Broomby.

This week saw phase one of the town's controversial new traffic system go live but as tailbacks began to wind up Windermere Road and along Highgate and Stricklandgate tempers started to fray.

No sooner were the wraps off the new system than gremlins struck, causing traffic light signal failure at Maude Street.

Buses ran late, commuters hit jams and parents struggled to make the school run in time.

Rob Lawley, senior consultant with Capita dbs, contracted to maintain South Lakeland's highways, said: "People need to change their habits for the system to work but they have been driving in a certain way for many years and it will take time."

Phase one changes saw cars travelling down Lowther Street, two-way flows on Sandes Avenue, New Road and Blackhall Road (between new Road and Stramongate) in a bid to divert traffic from Stricklandgate.

Mr Lawley said at peak times it took four minutes to get to the end of Stricklandgate via Lowther Street but between 15 and 20 minutes via the main street.

He also stressed phase one of the changes - costing around £430,000 - were just the first step in a five-year experiment which should eventually see a shift towards public transport and see the town centre pedestrianised.

Billed as the solution to the town's traffic woes, many motorists and business owners felt week one of the scheme had fallen short of the mark with standstill traffic on the main street and bottlenecks at major junctions.

However, some motorists remained stoical, giving the system the benefit of the doubt.

Kendal Police's Roger Mallet said there had been no accidents linked to the changes.

He said: "Apart from the traffic light problems things seem to have been working quite well.

It is too early to judge the whole experiment."

Mr Lawley said snarl-ups had been caused by traffic light failure at Sandes Avenue on Monday morning, coupled with the fact new traffic signals throughout the town were not yet operating in synch.

Until new technology kicks in over coming weeks, the traffic lights will not be working at optimum efficiency.

Cumbria County Council area support manager for South Lakeland Stuart Pate said, despite teething problems in week one, he was "cautiously optimistic" and thanked motorists for their patience.

"Nobody can wave a magic wand and make Kendal's traffic problems disappear overnight," he said.

Managers at Kendal's Marks and Spencer reported the first drop in takings of the year.

Section manager Carol Wilson said: "Customers have been struggling to get out of Library Road for up to 15 minutes.

Others have dumped their shopping and said they won't be back."

Owner of Finkle Street's Kendal Food Hall Ray Churchett said trade was "significantly down" and older customers had been put off coming into town by changes to the bus stops.

Town Centre manager Maria Appleton said many traders had echoed this criticism but added: "It is early days yet.

We've got to give things a chance to settle down."

Furniture retailer Nigel Byrom had a mixed response to the changes, which had seen more traffic passing his Wildman Street store.

He said each passing car carried a potential customer.

He said he had witnessed many changes to the town's traffic system over the years and added: "You have got to give these things a chance to get worked out but I want to ensure retailers large and small have their say."