Work on a new Perth roundabout is causing commuter misery for motorists.
Drivers stuck in gridlocked traffic at Inveralmond complained it took nearly an hour to travel just 100 yards on Friday afternoon.
Ruthvenfield Road has been shut for 10 weeks as part of a multi-million-pound project, which will link the city to Bertha Park.
Traffic has been slow at peak times and was particularly heavy on Friday afternoon. Council teams were dispatched to the area to try to alleviate congestion and keep vehicles flowing.
Brian Porter was among those caught up in the queues.
“I moved about 100 yards in 45 minutes,” he said. “I’d left work early because I wanted to get home quicker, but so much for that idea.
“I tried contacting Perth and Kinross Council and they told me to call Bear Scotland,” he said. “I phoned Bear Scotland they told me to call the council.
“This is ridiculous. I would have been quicker cycling.”
Another motorist Iain Coull was also stuck in tailbacks. “Perth and Kinross Council should be ashamed,” he said. “If they planned it better they could have put in a temporary road out Ruthvenfield way.
“Anyone who works in the estate could have told them how bad an idea this was.”
The road closure is part of the £35 million A9/A85 junction improvement and link road to Bertha Park project.
This involves the construction of a new A9 junction with slip roads, a new link road to Bertha Park and a new junction to the A85.
Much of the bypass is subject to a 50mph speed limit.
One of Perth’s major recycling facilities, the region’s main salt stock and the Double Dykes traveller site are all accessed off Ruthvenfield Road.
A Bear Scotland spokesman said: “We’re aware that the closure of Ruthvenfield Road as part of the Perth and Kinross Perth Futures Project has caused some delays at Inveralmond roundabout during peak times.
“We continue to work closely with Perth and Kinross Council to identify measures in minimising any delays for road users for the duration of the road closure.”
The local authority did not respond to a request for comment.
