Temporary traffic lights at a new crossroad junction are causing huge tailbacks as work continues on a major redesign.

The four-way signals were installed on A2070 Bad Munstereifel Road in Ashford on Monday night on the site of the former Orbital Park roundabout.

But the changes, which resemble how the completed junction will look, have caused stop-start traffic on all approaching routes this week.

Contractors have been working on the scheme since May and the whole project – known as 'Bellamy Gurner' – is set to be finished in mid-February.

But Ashford Borough Council's deputy leader Cllr Paul Bartlett (Con) says the current delays cannot continue for another month.

"Normally there are sensors on the lights which enable them to adjust to the different volumes of traffic," he said.

"These temporary ones don’t have that facility therefore it is causing enormous congestion on the main routes from Park Farm and through to Junction 10 because not enough time is being allowed for cars to pass through.

"I’ve given some feedback to the contractors [Conway] on that issue, I hope there is a way they can control the lights more intelligently.

"The new permanent lights will have that sophisticated system where they will react to the traffic, that’s the whole point they are changing it from the roundabout in the first place.

"I think the advice would be for motorists to feedback to the contractors about how poor the interim junction is.

"We have another month of work before the scheme is complete and it's not appropriate to allow this to stay as it is until then."

The lengthy roadworks, which were initially expected to be completed in October, are also having a knock-on effect on nearby businesses.

Robin Harnett, who runs Clipper and Cuts hairdressers at the Ashford Market on the Orbital Park, says footfall has suffered since work started in May as customers have been put off by the traffic.

"It has been horrendous – we have been at Orbital Park for 25 years and we have lost out on trade because of these roadworks," he said.

"People would rather go somewhere else than get stuck in all that traffic and I know a lot of other businesses on Orbital Park are suffering too.

"It has had a profound effect on us and it never seems to stop.

"I guarantee it will be pushed back again.

"They are using the excuse Operation Brock has pushed it back but that’s rubbish because it has nothing to do with Orbital Park.

"I don’t think it will be any better when it's done because every time there are traffic lights in Ashford, it makes it worse.

"I don’t see why they needed to take the roundabout out, they could have quite easily put traffic lights on it instead."

As part of the project, the Avocet Way junction which leads to the Finberry estate will be upgraded, allowing residents to turn right onto the A2070.

But fed-up residents living on the estate told KentOnline last month how the issue has caused "continuing stress".

The project is being carried out by National Highways and FM Conway, not Kent County Council.

Bosses plan to keep the temporary traffic lights in place while traffic island construction is completed, and permanent signals are installed and commissioned.

In a statement, Harish Popat, National Highways programme delivery manager, said: “We thank road users for their patience and understanding while we create a new signalised junction on the A2070 in place of the existing Orbital Park roundabout and Avocet Way junction.

"This work is part of the new Finberry housing development and when complete will increase capacity for both pedestrians and road users.”

A spokesperson from Finberry housebuilder Crest Nicholson said: "These temporary traffic signals have been installed to allow for the completion of the remaining traffic islands for the new junction and subsequent installation and commissioning of the permanent traffic signals for the junction.

'We thank local residents for their patience...'

"As with any installation of temporary traffic signals there will invariably be timing issues to be resolved and as such our contractor is undertaking manual control of the signals between 7am and 9.30am and also between 3.30pm and 6pm while our contractor optimises the timings on the temporary traffic signals.

“With regards to the permanent traffic signals the configuration of these will permit improved traffic flow as eastbound and westbound traffic can travel at the same time with vehicles wishing to make right hand turns into either Waterbrook Avenue or The Boulevard being held in dedicated right hand turn lanes.

"The permanent traffic signals will also incorporate and utilise traffic detection loops which will be installed in the carriageway surface and allow the signals to control the timings dependent upon the volume of traffic on any given carriageway.

"We thank local residents for their patience.”