Motorists in Bingley face a week of misery after the Highways Agency announced that roadworks would be carried out on the A650 each day next week.

Temporary lights will operate between Cotting-ley Bar and Southlands Avenue on the main road from Monday to Thursday from 9.30am to 4.30pm and until 3.30pm on Friday.

And on Sunday December 13 temporary traffic signals will be in operation and Cottingley New Road will be closed between 7.30am and 6pm.

Earlier Bradford Council announced that the work would finish this week but on Thursday the council said there had been a "misunderstanding" and that some of the work would take until Christmas to complete.

The council, acting as an agent for the Highways Agency, said seven days of work would be necessary, but the work would not necessarily be carried out on consecutive days.

The council said it could not give dates for the roadworks because work may change because of the weather. But now the Highways Agency says work will intensify next week.

Bingley councillor Eileen Sinclair said: "It's not going to be a very good Christmas for Bingley traders. They need the extra trade at this time of year and I feel very strongly that there should be some compensation for them. There will be a lot of anger and frustration next week."

Dorothy Schofield of Bingley said: "On Wednesday it took my husband William 20 minutes to go from Ferncliffe Road to Lenoard Street, some 150 yards, to do some banking in Shipley.

"He came back home before he got there and hasn't tried since. I think it's absolutely disgusting and ridiculous. Couldn't they do it at nights and weekends and work a bit faster?"

Alison Pullin a mother from Bingley said: "The roadworks made me late picking up my children last week. I don't know why they can't start in one area and finish one little piece before they start on all the road. It's a major annoyance."

Butcher Darren Todd of Bingley said: "Our customers are loyal but we do get a lot of complaints in here about the road. We will definitely suffer some loss in trade from customers who are travelling especially when on the news it's saying 'Avoid Bingley, it's gridlocked.'"

Ian Warburton of Bradford said: "I usually get the 7.05 bus to Bingley but it didn't come until after twenty-past. It took me over an hour to do a 20 minute journey. It annoys me, it's making me get home anything up to an hour later than I should."

Patricia Bentley of Baildon said: "Why can't they work through the night? It's absolutely appalling and must be killing Bingley. The town is struggling anyway. I know I wouldn't shop there.

"Roadworks never used to take so long, it has just got out of hand, people are adding miles to their journeys by travelling the backways."

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