AMBULANCE drivers, police cars and commuters faced 'traffic chaos' after a main road was closed during morning rush hour with not a workman in sight.

Queues of traffic built up after the closure of a section of London Road in Worcester, causing long delays for drivers, emergency vehicles and bus passengers in the city centre this morning (Friday).

Worcester News: EMERGENCY: Police van on blue lights makes its way around overrunning roadworks on London RoadEMERGENCY: Police van on blue lights makes its way around overrunning roadworks on London Road (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

Severn Trent had issues collecting the cones and signs, placed in the road the evening before (Thursday), after one of their vehicles suffered a blow-out which meant the kit was not picked up.

The work itself has yet to be completed meaning engineers will have to return at a later date.

Traffic was heavy on Bath Road, Sidbury and City Walls Road as motorists were confronted by red 'Road Closed' and yellow 'diversion' signs on their morning commute at a junction already known to be a bottleneck. 

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Motorists could not get up London Road from Bath Road or Sidbury with diversions in place. 

Worcestershire County Council confirmed this afternoon London Road was open again and required an urgent overnight closure for a leak in the early hours of this morning.

A spokesperson said: "Unfortunately this closure overran but the road has now reopened.

"Severn Trent may need to return to site so we will update when we know more."

However, no work was taking place by Severn Trent when a reporter visited the roadworks this morning - and a spokesperson confirmed that work had not started yet.

Worcester News: CONGESTION: An ambulance on blue lights is caught up in the delays in London Road, Worcester CONGESTION: An ambulance on blue lights is caught up in the delays in London Road, Worcester (Image: James Connell/Newsquest)

One witness, who did not wish to be named, described the morning commute as 'traffic chaos' with long queues building from the Vue cinema and along City Walls Road.

He also described how some drivers, aware they could not turn right into London Road from Bath Road, opted to cut the corner.

Drivers were using a 'short cut' at the bottom of Bath Road, getting onto London Road 'in the face of oncoming traffic and on the wrong side of the road'.

 

 

At one stage a police van on blue lights was stuck in traffic as it headed down London Road while, at one stage, an ambulance on blue lights slowed to navigate the roadworks.

A Severn Trent spokesperson said: “Our teams were at London Road to repair a leak and due to its location in the middle of a carriageway, temporary traffic management was put in place to safeguard our engineers and other road users.  

“We would like to apologise for the delay in collection of the traffic management this morning, which was due to an issue with the vehicle due to pick up the equipment, and for any inconvenience that this caused.”