MOTORISTS suffered misery on the roads because of emergency repair work to a sewer on Portland.

Traffic lights were placed on Portland Beach Road between Portland and Weymouth while Wessex Water workers carried out the repairs.

The work was done to a sewer close to Hamm Beach which burst because of extreme weather and high tides in the area.

Wessex Water alerted drivers to the delays yesterday morning after work began and apologised for the hold-ups.

A spokesman said the traffic lights were being manually controlled ‘to minimise congestion’.

One driver said he was stuck in queuing traffic for 40 minutes trying to get off Portland to go to work in Yeovil.

The man, who didn’t wish to be named, said: “I joined the queue of traffic by the Heights Hotel.

“I normally get from home to work in 56 minutes. It took me an hour and a half.

“I couldn’t understand why they had the traffic lights going before there was work going on.”

The traffic lights will still be in place today when the work is due to be completed.

Portland resident and councillor Sandy West said many Portlanders were delayed by the roadworks.

She said: “One woman said the school run took her an hour and a half.

“It was emergency work and something that needed to be done and I think a lot of people took it in good spirit.

“Hopefully now that people are aware the work is happening they will leave more time for their journeys.”

Lisa Hughes, of Underhill, was delayed trying to return to Portland yesterday morning after working a night shift.

She said: “I was supposed to return home by 8.30am to take the children to school and I was still stuck in the queue by 8.45am so my husband had to take them.

“Another mum said it took forever to get down the hill to Chiswell.

“It was just ridiculous. If it’s the same today I’ll be very annoyed.”