Motorists were today urged to be patient after suffering traffic chaos due to road works in Billericay.

Roadworks - vehicles negotiate the cones at Sun Corner, Billericay Picture: LUAN MARSHALL

Philip Turner, Basildon Council portfolio holder for resources, spoke after £250,000 renovation work at Sun Corner left some motorists queuing for nearly an hour to reach the High Street.

Engineers from contractors McAlpine are replacing traffic lights with a new roundabout, which, it is hoped, will help traffic flow through the junction much more easily.

For now, however, rush hour motorists are facing long delays as they approach the town centre along the A176 from Basildon and the A129 from Hutton.

Mr Turner called on motorists to be patient, saying: "Such a major project in the heart of our town was always going to be difficult to implement without some element of frustration."

Published Monday August 16, 2004

Brought to you by the Evening Echo