TRAFFIC chaos returned to Kendal this week as cones and diggers descended on Stricklandgate to complete work on connecting water pipes in the town, reports Andrew Daniels.

Unfortunately, the works, which were due to be completed today (Friday), may now drag on into next week.

Motorists were greeted with gridlock on Tuesday morning as Stricklandgate was reduced to one lane past Sandes Avenue to the north and temporary traffic lights replaced the signals at the junctions with Sandes Avenue and Burneside Road.

Queues were backing up towards the A591 at the southern end of the town and motorists coming down Windermere Road from the north were backed up to the Hallgarth estate.

Cumbria County Council's area engineer Nick Raymond said he was hoping the work, which started on Monday evening, would be completed as soon as possible.

"It caused absolutely horrendous congestion but they the contractors are making the best of it," he said.

"There's not a lot they can do because they are having to cross the road, taking up one lane. They have disconnected the existing signals and are operating a manual traffic signal control, maintaining the best flow they can."

United Utilities is completing mains work it started last year and Mr Raymond hoped it would work 24 hours a day to get the job finished by today (Friday) but he feared it might be next week before it was completed.

"They wanted to do it before Christmas but we successfully persuaded them not to, because of the disruption it was going to cause," he added.

The congestion eased later in the week but drivers turning right out of Burneside Road on to Windermere Road faced particular problems, as there were no signal controls at that junction.

The engineering work also created problems for nearby properties. Staff at Hall and Smith Dental Practice on Stricklandgate said water had been cut off on Monday for a short period of time without warning.

The disruption is not connected to work on the controversial pedestrian priority scheme, which is expected to start on January 31 in the Blackhall Road area.