DRIVERS say they are frustrated over temporary traffic lights which have remained in place for seven years after they were first implemented.

The temporary lights were placed on the B1389 in Witham back in 2016 following an accident which damaged Wood End Bridge.

The bridge crosses the A12 with the road acting as a slip road at junction 21 heading towards Hatfield Peverel.

The lights have been in place to make the bridge safe while Highways England, which is responsible for the bridge, planned to carry out repairs.

In 2018, the highways authority said the lights wouldn’t be removed until repair work has been completed.

But a further five years on, the lights are still in place and causing traffic problems for motorists.

Disgruntled drivers claim the traffic lights cause traffic to build up and cause severe problems in and around rush hour.

National Highways has said a permanent solution to fix the bridge are "currently being reviewed".

A spokesman said:  “The traffic lights on the B1389 have been protecting road users since Wood End Bridge was significantly damaged in a collision.

"The lights have remained in place for safety reasons while we work hard to find the best way to carry out what is a complex bridge repair without the need to close the busy A12 for any extended time period, as this runs directly below and would cause significant congestion and inconvenience.

“Two different plans to resolve the issue and put in place a permanent solution have been worked up and they are currently being reviewed."

Highways bosses also apologised for the delay, adding they do not know when the works will be complete.

The spokesman continued: “We are unable to put a timescale to this but we acknowledge the delays with this work and apologise for any inconvenience this has caused to those who regularly use the road.”