St Leonards roadworks: "Push bike is the answer. Quickest way of getting around locally"

Drivers have described the long delays and tailbacks along the A259 in Bexhill Road, St Leonards as ‘horrendous’ and ‘awful’.

SGN started the gas mains replacement works last Tuesday (January 3). Two-way traffic lights have been put in place.

According to SGN, the roadworks are set to continue until April 28.

On its website, SGN said it is working on a 30-year programme to replace old metal pipes with new plastic pipes.

However, readers on the Observer’s Facebook page have criticised the timing of the works, with one resident saying it was now quicker to ‘use a push bike’ to get around the town.

Others branded the current roadwork situation in town as a ‘joke’.

Sue Deeprose said: “Hastings and St Leonards have roadworks everywhere. It's a nightmare wherever you need to go. Priory Road is closed, so diversions. Langham roundabout has traffic lights, the Old Town, The Ridge. It’s actually a joke. Some planning between the companies would have been helpful.”

Katherine Ayres-Timms said: “Me and my husband are so sick of this town and its traffic. It’s become a massive factor in us wanting to move away. Literally can't get anywhere as it is and they keep building. Whole place is going to come to a standstill.”

Sarah Phillips said: “Probably SGN again, but it is the worst place to keep doing it brings the area to a standstill at the busiest times and has a knock-on effect all the way up to Braybrooke lights and down to Queens Road.”

Laura Newton-Saunders said: “And everyone has been driving down Bulverhythe Road, clogging that up.”

Jan Goldsmith said: “Try travelling from Elphinstone Road to Alexandra Park. Temporary lights in Elphinstone Road and three-way lights at the mini-roundabout going down to Alexandra Park.”

Katie Wright said: “Let’s not forget Priory Road and the seafront. It took me an hour to get out of Hastings the other day.”

Mark Freeman said: “East Sussex Highways should make utilities work 24/7.”

Adam Sheppard said: “Push bike is the answer. Quickest way of getting around locally.”

Paul Phillips said: “Fix some potholes rather than keep digging the roads up. It's causing chaos there as well with traffic at a standstill from Glyne Gap back to the link road. Back in the 70s when I worked on the roads traffic cops would stop if traffic lights and roadworks were causing hold-ups. Shouldn't be such long delays, set the timer on the lights to adjust flow of traffic both ways, rather than a bloke changing the lights manually.”

But Ian Summerfield said: “Before they built the bypass it was like that every weekend. Having spent years working in London as a field engineer, having to drive from site to site in the centre and city areas, I find these local traffic jams pretty minor in comparison I could take an hour to go just three miles in London.”