Roadworks cause havoc for traffic at Romford Station.

Havering Council has apologised for the inconvenience caused while replacing the mini roundabout in the centre of Atlanta Boulevard, Victoria Road and South Street with a four-way traffic light system and expanding the bus stop island.

There are four bus stops in the immediate area, serving 13 bus routes, with one next to a temporary traffic light causing regular bus jams.

John Michael, manager of A1 Minicab Service in South Street said the lights were “out of sync”.

“The traffic backs up and you get a huge tailback, traffic is terrible,” he said.

“It’s taking so long to get the drivers round to pick our customers up that we’re getting a lot of complaints. A by-stander would think ‘why have they sealed off four areas when they’re only working on one’?”

The Recorder timed the lights and found the red light comes on for around three and a half minutes, but the lights only turned green for a third of that time.

Senior Sales Negotiator in Bairstow Eves in South Street, Nikki Sturley said: “It’s horrendous. Being an estate agent you’re in and out but you’re battling a big queue of buses.

“I have to leave a good 20 minutes earlier for appointments. It’s also dangerous for pedestrians.”

Former bus driver, Brian Relf, 47, of Furlough Gardens said he had already told the council that he was worried about safety as people dashed between traffic jams to try and catch their trains.

“They should re-route the buses,” he said.

But councillor Robert Benham, cabinet member for community empowerment, said better lighting would make the area safer and the project, due to complete in February 2011, would improve access to the station as well as traffic flow.

He added: “Although we make every effort to minimise delays, there may be some congestion as the work is carried out and we are sorry for any inconvenience.”

Transport for London are responsible for bus route management. They were unable to comment before the Recorder went to press.