Residents fear the closure of one of Sidmouth’s main artery roads will continue to cause ‘chaos’ for the next month.

Sidmouth Herald: The Sidmouth roads during the road word diversions. Ref shs 03-16TI 9607. Picture: Terry IfeThe Sidmouth roads during the road word diversions. Ref shs 03-16TI 9607. Picture: Terry Ife (Image: Archant)

Clare Langman, a project manager who lives in the town, has blasted highways chiefs for closing Temple Street while work on Trow Hill is being managed by a convoy system - now set to run for another three weeks.

Residents have reported long queues of traffic into town and speeding vehicles in normally quiet residential streets.

“Traffic has been queuing right up Station Road,” said Ms Langman. “If you’ve got a lorry or coach coming in each direction, there are places where there are only inches to pass. If it carries on like this it’s going to cause serious problems.”

She proposed a one-way system taking traffic into Sidmouth via Fortescue and out along Station Road and said the two different roadworks projects should not have clashed.

Sidford’s Trow Hill is closed overnight from 7pm to 7am until February 29 for a £500,000 resurfacing project.

A Devon County Council spokesman said yesterday that drainage works on the site have been delayed, so daytime traffic will now be managed by convoy until February 12.

Temple Street will be closed between Sid Park Road and Ascerton Road until February 29 for resurfacing works and the replacement of pipes and gullies. The formal diversion is via All Saints Road, Station Road, the A3052 and Sidford Road.

On the Herald’s Facebook page, disabled Sid Park Road resident Diana Hall said motorists had started parking in her street so they could walk down The Byes.

“They are parking in front of our driveways and making it impossible for us to park or get out,” she said. “Total lack of respect for the people who live there.”

Also on Facebook, Victoria Bell said: “It can’t go on like this, surely, for the next few weeks!”

Before the roadworks began, estate agent Mike Dibble proposed a one-way system he said would prevent disruption in residential streets - but it was not adopted.

“You’ve got buses going up and down Winslade Road and causing chaos,” he told the Herald this week. “They didn’t do as we recommended.”

County highways chief Stuart Hughes said: “We have been clear from the outset of this scheme that some disruption is unavoidable, because it is a main route in the town, but every effort is being made to minimise disruption. This work is essential to address the ponding issues on this road [Temple Street], so I’d urge everyone to bear with us.

“We are regularly monitoring the site and traffic management.”

He asked drivers to be patient and courteous to each other and the site workers.