Drivers are yet again being urged to be patient while road chiefs attempt to finally repair the faulty traffic lights at Junction 10 of the M20.

The request from the Highways Agency comes after some of the 13 signals at the newly upgraded roundabout have been switching off periodically for the past month.

But the agency says it is still unsure what’s causing the problem.

In 2006, road bosses promised the £7 million project, which finished in September after it overran by three months, would improve safety for motorists, pedestrians and cyclists using the junction.

But Hythe Road resident Paul Bridgeland said the area is now more dangerous than ever.

“After a year and millions spent upgrading Junction 10 the fiasco continues with traffic lights being out of action for many weeks now.

“The junction is now more dangerous than ever, as prior to the 'upgrade,’ at least there was a give-way sign so people knew what to do,” said Mr Bridgeland.

However a spokesman for the Highways Agency has insisted signage is put up to warn people about the problem when the lights are not working.

He said: “The lights have been intermittently turning off.

“We have put up signs to explain to people that the lights are out of order and we are doing our best to try and inform people that the lights are off.”

The signalling has never run smoothly and last October, just weeks after the major works were completed, people using the junction were faced with more disruption when the lights were switched off while workers tried to sort of the phasing.

The agency’s spokesman added: “There’s a technical problem with the phasing of the lights. We are doing our best to relieve the situation but it’s difficult at this stage because we have got to identify what the issue is.

“They thought it was a power supply issue but it is not the power supply,” he added.

Full story in the Kentish Express