Roadworks on a major Perth artery route has brought city centre traffic to a near-standstill.
Motorists are facing congestion and “severe delays” as essential resurfacing job gets under way on Atholl Street.
The thoroughfare, one of Scotland’s most polluted streets, will be shut to westbound traffic for the rest of the week. However, work will continue over several phases for the rest of the month.
Perth and Kinross Council, which has ordered the job, stressed that measures had been taken to minimise disruption. Staff at the authority’s traffic control centre have been looking at ways of easing congestion by taking extra action such as altering traffic light sequences.
Work crews moved onto the stretch after rush hour on Monday morning. Diversions will be place until Friday, September 8, between 9.30am and 11pm each day.
The closure immediately led to lengthy tailbacks along George Street, Mill Street and Tay Street. Motorists entering via Dundee Road said the work had added an extra hour to their journey.
Transport giant Stagecoach warned customers “all services are currently operating with severe delays”.
A council spokeswoman said: “The work has been phased to minimise the impact of traffic restrictions on the city road network, which means that only sections of a road will be closed at a time.
“The busiest roads will remain open to one-way traffic, and full closures of junctions have been scheduled to take place on Sundays only.”
She added: “The council would like to say thank you in advance to all drivers for their patience during the work. For alternative routes and diversions, drivers are advised to follow temporary signage within the city centre which will reflect the diversion routes in place at each stage of the work.”
An interactive online map has been created to help motorists plan their journeys.
Locals took to social media to voice their concerns about the impact of the work, with one describing the upheaval as “carnage” and another pointing out: “It’s bad enough getting to Scone at rush hour.”
The council responded to calls for the work to be carried out at night. A spokeswoman said: “Night work carries it’s own challenges, not least with the impact on residential properties overlooking the roadworks which would be affected at night.
“The urban traffic control room, where we have a member of staff monitoring traffic in the city centre, will look to make what adjustments they can to traffic signal operations to help the flow of traffic through the city centre, but work on any major route will have a knock on impact throughout the city streets.”
She said: “We will continue to monitor, and make any adjustments which can be made to help traffic keep flowing.”
Stage two will run from Monday, September 11, to Friday, September 15 and will see Kinnoull Street to Mill Street open to southbound traffic only.
The Atholl Street and Kinoull Street junction will be completely closed on Sunday, September 17.
Future phases will involve involves a full closure of Kinnoull Street, between Mill Street and High Street, from September 18 to 22.
There will be further closures in and around Kinnoull Street on Sunday, September 24 and October 1.
