Furious drivers blame lights for rush-hour woes

TRAFFIC lights have caused rush-hour nightmares at one of Port Talbot's busiest roundabouts.

Drivers heading home have been left fuming as long queues build up in Seaway Parade and the roads leading to it.

Workers in Baglan Energy Park have complained they have found it almost impossible to get out, while hospital staff have also been snarled up in the nightmare jams.

One worker in the Energy Park, who asked not to be named, said the lights sequence on the Sunnycroft roundabout seemed to have been changed.

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This, she said, gave priority to traffic on the dual carriageway but that led to horrendous queues in Seaway Parade.

"It happened on Monday night and again on Tuesday night," said the worker.

"It is causing absolute chaos.

"I worked late on Monday night. The traffic started building up from around 4.15pm and it had only just cleared when I left for home at 6.30pm.

"But on Tuesday I left at 5.45pm and spent 20 minutes trying to get out of the car park.

"It looked as if the sequence of the lights had been changed to allow traffic from the M4 to move freely but that was stopping other traffic from moving.

"Everybody was going ballistic.

"We saw someone working on the lights junction box today and we're just hoping they're going to sort it out."

Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University Health Board has confirmed many of its staff, both at its Baglan Energy Park base and at Neath Port Talbot Hospital, had been late getting home because of the delays they were facing.

A Neath Port Talbot Hospital worker said she had called the council and was told it was a matter for the South Wales Trunk Road Agency.

"But the council did say there had been a lot of complaints about it," she added.

Council head of streetcare Mike Roberts said: "Essential resurfacing of Seaway Parade approaching the roundabout was undertaken last Friday night which unavoidably damaged the traffic detection loops for the traffic signals.

"An order has been placed with a specialist traffic light contractor to undertake renewal of the detectors loops and completion of the work is expected shortly.

"In the meantime the signal timings in the afternoon peak period are being reviewed to see if problems can be eased pending new detectors becoming operational there."