Traffic trouble caused by the Kessock Bridge repairs cannot be allowed to continue, a senior councillor said yesterday.
And she called for the police and the contractors to take action to stop the worsening delays on the vital crossing.
Roadworks on the link carrying the A9 Inverness to Thurso road over the Beauly Firth started on Monday reducing the dual carriageway to one lane in either direction.
The operating company behind the £13.5million 20-week project to upgrade the bridge, Bear Scotland, yesterday blamed drivers for slowing down to “rubberneck” the ongoing work for worsening the delays which were about one hour at worst.
Earlier this week Bear shortened the priority lane for bus and heavy goods vehicles in response to public demand in an attempt to increase traffic flow and reduce journey times on the morning commute into Inverness.
But yesterday Aird and Loch Ness councillor Helen Carmichael said this move had not worked and the delays were getting worse.
Morning traffic was backed up north of the Tore Roundabout yesterday and many motorists experienced worse delays than in previous days. Mrs Carmichael said motorists told her of taking two hours to reach Inverness from Tain and one hour from Munlochy on the Black Isle – usually around a 20-minute drive – and said Bear Scotland had to take action.
She said: “Bear Scotland and the police have to look at how they can keep traffic moving. This can’t go on for 20 weeks.”
She added: “If the bus lanes had been shortened this morning then it hasn’t worked.
“They need to review it again. It certainly did not work today from the reports I am getting.”
Mrs Carmichael said Bear Scotland must carefully monitor the traffic movements on the bridge and review their plans weekly.
She renewed pleas for commuters to car share and look at alternatives to driving over the bridge in the morning, such as using trains and buses.
A Bear Scotland spokesman said: “The intention of shortening the bus lane was not to reduce delays but to shorten the length of the queues and therefore move them away from the adjacent junctions.
“The delay experienced by motorists in terms of time was for similar durations as previously, however, the period where queues developed lasted much longer. The delays on Wednesday were however exacerbated by traffic slowing down to less than 5mph to view the works as they passed.
“All measures possible are being made to mitigate delays however we are relying heavily on members of the public to use the additional public transport provided, car share, cycle and avoid unnecessary trips to reduce congestion on the bridge.”