Drivers have faced traffic chaos after major roadworks got under way in Broughty Ferry.
There were long queues on several roads on Tuesday morning after the project began in the Dundee Road/Queen Street area.
The main road through Broughty Ferry is closed for the SGN roadworks.
One driver said traffic was queued back for about a mile on the A92 Arbroath Road near Balgillo.
There were also problems on several side streets as motorists tried to find alternative routes.
One woman said: “I was driving from David Lloyd at Ethiebeaton to Balgillo Heights, which normally takes less than 10 minutes but it was over 20 today.
“Traffic was backed up for about a mile from Balgillo Roundabout.
“When I finally got to the roundabout it was basically gridlock, queues from Balgillo Road East had backed right round the roundabout, stopping anyone from Clearwater/Balgillo Heights side from getting out.
“If it’s that bad up here I dread to think what it’s like in central Broughty Ferry.
‘Chaotic scenes’ as Broughty Ferry roadworks begin
“Queues from Balgillo Road East aren’t uncommon on school days but I’ve never seen traffic backed so far up Arbroath Road.
“I thought there had been a crash before I remembered about the roadworks.”
Broughty Ferry Labour councillor Pete Shears told The Courier there had been “chaotic scenes” during the Monday evening and Tuesday morning rush hours.
He said: “The main issue is that drivers aren’t following the diversion signs and are using Grove Road instead.
“This is causing tempers to flare between residents and drivers leading to abusive exchanges.
“Network engineers (from the council) have asked SGN to make their signage clearer, and I’ve requested that Grove Road be made residents access only during the works.
“I’ve also asked Police Scotland to attend Grove Road due to the amount of illegal turns being made.”
One Grove Road resident said: “I have lived here for many years and I have never seen anything like this.
“Drivers are not obeying the road diversion signs and are using Grove Road which is far too narrow to cope with parked cars and the volume of traffic on it just now.
“At rush hour last night, a parked car was hit outside my house – that was caused by the sheer number of cars using the road.”
Drivers also posted on Facebook, calling the traffic problems “off the scale”.
The Broughty Ferry roadworks began on Monday with the first two phases set to last eight weeks.
However, Dundee City Council says there could be disruption for up to 20 weeks.
On Monday afternoon, Broughty Ferry Lib Dem Councillor Craig Duncan posted on his Facebook page that SGN would place ‘Residents access only’ signs at the Grove Road junctions with Dundee Road and Albany Road to deter rat-running.
He added: “The sub-plates on some of the signs on Dundee Road which read, `No access beyond Grove Road will be amended to `No access beyond Victoria Road’.”
An SGN spokesperson said: “Our project manager has advised some motorists have not been following our diversion routes, which has led to delays.
“We’re also speaking with the traffic management company to look at improving signage.”
Police Scotland says it is a matter for the local authority.
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