Rush hour drivers were left fuming by being held up for 20 minutes because of gasworks - where nobody was there doing any work.

One commuter says that the situation was worsened by too few cars being let through the temporary traffic lights on the busiest side of the road.

The delays were on the A258 approach to Deal and Walmer this morning with the tailback stretching from south of St Margaret's Drive in Walmer to beyond the Ripple Road turnoff.

Our reporter was one of those stuck in the queue.

He took pictures of the scene and said he found "absolutely nobody there" doing work on road, which had parts dug up for gas maintenance.

Driver Jamie Rose said he counted that only five cars at a time were let through on the busiest side of the road from Dover.

But 25 to 30 cars leaving Deal on the other side were let through where traffic was lighter.

Jamie Rose, office manager for Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke, said: “The traffic lights were letting five cars go at a time in the Dover to Deal direction and 30 cars go in the Deal to Dover direction.

“It means you are crawling forward 10 metres every five minutes or so on one side, while cars rush past like a normal road on the other side.

"There wasn’t even a queue in the Dover direction at one point.

“The roadworks have gone on a while but it’s the first time I’ve seen the timer imbalanced like that.

Hopefully they will sort it soon as it was pretty infuriating.”

Other drivers reported that nearby country lanes were "heaving" with commuters trying to get into Deal through alternative routes.

The work is being done by SGN, which distributes gas to homes and business through piping.

It has gone on since May 20 with temporary lights controlling traffic in both directions.

SGN says that the work is due to be completed by Friday, July 19.

A spokesman said; "We’re upgrading our gas network in the A258 Dover Road area of Walmer. This essential work involves the replacement of old metal gas mains with new plastic pipe to ensure we continue to provide a safe and reliable gas supply to the local area.

In consultation with Kent County Council, we’ve been working in the Dover Road area since Monday, May 20. This also includes working in side turnings and laying new services to nearby properties.

"To ensure everyone’s safety, we’ve installed temporary traffic lights in the A258 Dover Road which are being manually operated Monday to Saturday from 7am to 7pm to help keep the traffic flowing.

"Our project is progressing well and we hope to be completed on schedule by Friday, July 19.

"We understand that people can get frustrated by roadworks. However, the new plastic pipe has a minimum lifespan of 80 years. This means that when the work is complete, Walmer businesses and residents will continue to enjoy the benefits of a safe and reliable gas supply for years to come."

Jamie Rose is also a Conservative Dover district councillor for Alkham and Capel-le-Ferne.

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