TRAFFIC is building up so much that shoppers at Stane Retail Park have been forced to wait at a standstill for up to half an hour before they can get on the road.

Pictures show traffic backed up as members of the public try to head to Western Approach from Tollgate, with some drivers having been stuck for close to half an hour.

The problem is not new to the area, with shoppers at the nearby Sainsbury's superstore in Stanway stuck for close to 45 minutes in September last year.

Others have warned that the opening of new stores such as Marks and Spencer, Mountain Warehouse, and Furniture Village will contribute further to the congestion problems the area is suffering from.

One driver told the Gazette: "I've been waiting 20 minutes so far to get out of Stane Park – the rumours [about congestion] are true.

"I've literally sat dead still for ages."

Pictures from a passenger show dozens of stationary cars queueing at the roundabout.

Although long queues have become commonplace for the area, the traffic in the run-up to the Christmas period has fuelled fears that shoppers will be forced to wait even longer to leave the retail park.