ANGRY motorists have hit out at road works blighting large areas of Huddersfield.

At least five sets of road works are under way in the Holme Valley and residents are tired of the resulting travel delays.

It was also announced this week that King's Bridge in Huddersfield will be reduced to a single file for at least a year until it is repaired.

In Holmfirth, Kirklees Council is carrying out improvements at New Mill Road, which are expected to end on April 30.

Transco is also carrying out work to replace a gas pipe at Victoria Street, Holmfirth. The work was due to end on March 28 but is now expected to end on April 19.

At Penistone Road, New Mill, the council is improving the road surface. Work will end on April 30.

In Honley, Yorkshire Water is improving a sewer overflow at Huddersfield Road until April 2.

Yorkshire Water also had road works at New Mill Road in Honley and Brockholes, until this week where it was improving a sewer overflow.

Carol Beaumont, of Honley, said getting in and out of the Holme Valley is a nightmare.

She said: "If road works were erected in Meltham then every route out of the valley would be obstructed.

"It must be a nightmare for bus companies trying to manage their timetables.

"While we can all appreciate that work needs to be undertaken, is it really necessary that they all be done in the same area at the same time?"

Clr David Ridgeway said Milnsbridge residents were having the opposite problem to Holme Valley people - not enough road works.

He said Cowlersley Lane was due to be resurfaced by last November, but work had still not taken place. He blamed the hold-up on gas distribution firm Transco.

He claimed work to replace gas pipes should have been finished in time for the scheduled resurfacing to be finished November.

Transco contractors started work at Cowlersley Lane in January, but Clr Ridgeway claims it is not progressing.

He said: "Cowlersley Lane is deeply rutted, deteriorating by the day and potentially very dangerous for motorists and pedestrians alike.

"Kirklees highways service cannot carry out overall resurfacing until Transco has completed whatever works it needs to do. It seems Transco has walked off the job in Cowlersley and abandoned the people of Milnsbridge.

A spokeswoman for Kirklees Council said contractors undertaking road works can be fined under Section 74 of the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 if the duration of road works exceeds a previously agreed reasonable period.

Transco spokesman Keith Newman said the site had not been abandoned. There had been a two-week delay in work, due to an engineering problem, but the job was due to be completed by the end of April.

He added: "We apologise for any disruption in the area but it is essential work."