‘Frustrated’ Lincolnshire County Council highways bosses say survey will have to take place before temporary lights can be removed from Spalding town centre

Temporary traffic lights which are causing havoc in the town centre could be here for some time as ‘frustrated’ highways bosses have no timescale as to when repairs will be completed.

The lights which normally control traffic in Spalding’s Bridge Street, High Street, Church Street and Churchgate have been out of action for more than a week - creating lengthy queues as motorists try to get over High Bridge.

Lincolnshire County Council says the problems are down to a traffic signal controller box which was damaged during a crash on June 1 and that repairs cannot go ahead until a survey for a wall has been completed.

Karen Cassar, assistant director for Highways said: "Regarding an ongoing issue at our signalled junction of High Street, Bridge Street, Church Street in Spalding, the current situation is that we need to replace the traffic signal controller box which was damaged in the road traffic accident that happened on June 1.

"The controller box is currently sitting against a wall which has suffered structural damage in the crash. We can't remove the box without knowing the full extent of the damage to the adjacent wall.

"We have been in contact with the landlord who is responsible for the wall and our understanding is that they need to do a structural survey. Once the results of that survey are known, and the owner of the building has made the area safe, we will do the necessary work to reinstate the controller box for the junction.

"We are frustrated by this situation, but because we have to wait for the survey there is nothing we can do to improve the impact on the local traffic network.

"As soon as we can get the all clear to restore the lights at the junction, we will do so as quickly as we possibly can."