ANGRY motorists have been caught in 90 minute queues after gas works began on a busy main route without any warning.

Temporary two-way traffic lights were installed in Wallisdown Road on Monday between St Mark’s Church and the roundabout by Bournemouth University, leading to traffic queues along the full length of the road.

But confusion abounds over why drivers weren’t warned ahead of time so they could avoid the road.

According to an email sent out by Bournemouth Borough Council on Saturday, they were only notified of the works on Friday afternoon.

But SGN say they are planning major works lasting two weeks - replacing the old main with new plastic pipe after “a number of leaks in recent months.”

The works will go on until Monday, September 5.

Rush hour delays were up to 90 minutes according to some angry drivers caught up in the unexpected queues on Monday.

“It’s definitely100 per cent worse than usual,” said Simone Gent, who works at The Kings Arms pub near Wallisdown roundabout.

She told how several frustrated drivers stopped off at the pub to escape the terrible traffic on Monday.

Alucia Phillips, a florist at Flowers, said potential customers were being lost as people sought detours to avoid the queues.

“Yesterday morning I had to get out of the car 20 minutes down the road and walk up as the traffic wasn’t going anywhere.”

Resident Clau Mattos, 29, said he could be stuck for several minutes just trying to turn into his driveway. “I think the council needs to rethink the roundabout – the traffic lights close to Tesco, the roundabout and the bus stop. Everything contributes to the traffic in the area. It’s terrible.”

Sueli Mattos, 49, added: “It’s a nightmare for everybody”

A spokesperson for SGN said: “We understand that people can get frustrated by roadworks. However, the new plastic pipe has a minimum lifespan of 80 years.

“This means that when the work is complete, people will continue to enjoy the benefits of a safe and reliable gas supply for years to come.

“To ensure everyone’s safety, we needed to install temporary two-way traffic lights in Wallisdown Road between St Mark’s Church and University Roundabout."

She said: “We worked closely with the local authority in planning this essential work.

“We appreciate this is a busy route and carrying out work in the area will cause disruption, but we need to replace the pipe once and for all to avoid emergency repairs in the future.”

Services provided by Yellow Buses which travel along Wallisdown Road have been delayed by up to 45 minutes, including the number 6, which travels between Bournemouth Square, the university and Bearwood.

The firm confirmed that this was due to the roadworks, as well as the weather.