FED-UP motorists have called for Essex’s roads chief Rodney Bass to battle through Colchester’s traffic chaos himself.

Work started last week to create a town centre-bound bus lane in Station Way, under the bridge at Colchester North rail station, causing long delays.

The congestion was exacerbated by an over-running bridge replacement project in Bakers Lane which has been delayed yet again.

Motorists were Monday hit with further delays after roadworks started on Chitts Hill.

However, the Chitts Hill work was postponed indefinitely that afternoon.

Long-suffering drivers are also facing delays in the Hythe area, with roadworks in two locations in Colne Causeway.

Susan Braithwaite, of Mersea Road, Colchester, said it took her 30 minutes to reach West Bergholt yesterday, despite leaving after the rush hour.

She said: “To avoid North Station, and knowing Bakers Lane was also closed, we went via Chitts Hill.

“We ended up going to West Bergholt via Fordham.

“At rush hour it must be an absolute nightmare. Why on earth can’t they do the work at night or work half of the day and stop?

“They shouldn’t have started the Station Way work until Bakers Lane was free, and shouldn’t have started Chitts Hill yet.

“I’d like Rodney Bass to go through it every day.”

Martin Goss, borough councillor for Colchester’s Mile End ward, said a resident had already offered to drive Mr Bass around congested Colchester, but he declined, saying he preferred to walk around Colchester to view the issues.

Mr Goss added: “There is no joined-up thinking around any of these works.”

Thework in Station Way takes place between 9am and 3pm each day, when the town centrebound carriageway is reduced to a single lane.

Asda waived fines issued to drivers stuck in its car park as a result of the traffic jams last week. Station Way will be closed, town centre-bound, from Sunday at 5pm to Monday at 5am so lanes can be painted.

The project to replace a bridge in Bakers Lane, Colchester, has been delayed until mid to late February.

It was closed last January and it should have taken six months.