Dumfries businessman Mark Jardine has hit out at the “utter chaos” caused by an erroneous town centre traffic sign.
It sent hundreds of motorists on an endless loop around the town centre for the three days it was in place.
Undertaker Mark said: “It was utterly insane.
“I was late for three funeral services this week due to the chaos, while on Tuesday night, I was marooned in my office in Three Crowns Court as the whole town centre was grid-locked and I missed my evening appointment.”
The matter was resolved late on Wednesday but only after several calls and emails to Dumfries and Galloway Council’s roads department which, he says, were falling on deaf ears since Monday.
The cause of the problem was a misleading sign put up to warn motorists of the demolition work underway in English Street of the Treasure Cave building.
Mark said: “A sign was placed near Loreburn Police Station informing that Newall Terrace (left) is the route for buses, and straight ahead for “all other routes.”
“Needless to say, many hundreds of cars politely followed the instruction – straight towards the demolition – and, of course, found themselves diverted into Munches Street and back in a never-ending merry-go-round.
“Some drivers realised the error of their ways and dived down at speed to Three Crowns Court, to be met by those who have been forced round Munches Street coming up Three Crowns Court as they find Queensberry Street is blocked. It meant that cars and vans were roaring up and down Three Crowns Court both ways.
“For three days, utter chaos reigned in the centre of Dumfries and, despite my very reasonable and polite suggestions to the roads department, I heard nothing.
“The simple solution to the problem was to have a road closed sign (for Loreburn Street) on Academy Street (except for access to homes, businesses, buses and the Loreburn Street car park) – which is what eventually happened late on Wednesday.
“And to be frank, even a primary school pupil would have worked that out from the start. With a little common sense and forward planning, this problem could have been completely avoided.”
Mark said the worst time was 5pm each evening with cars turning around on each other and some disregarding existing flow.
He also feared emergency vehicles could get stuck in the grid-lock.
He said: “At 5pm each evening we had people effectively marooned in their offices, having been there from 8am in the morning, and have drivers trapped on Queensberry Street, unable to move due to the pressure of traffic on the main arteries.
“And by Wednesday, we had fed-up drivers beyond the diversion sign at the top of Munches Street get stuck at the crane, so they reversed back and met traffic coming up Queen Street. Then they drove the wrong way back along Loreburn Street to Munches Street. I saw five cars do this in five minutes but it was happening all the time.
“It really was the perfect storm of stupidity that could have resulted in a tragedy.”
A council spokesman said: “Any road closures/re-openings are subject to Westlakes Demolition’s timescales for the work and our officers are working closely with the contractor to ensure we take the appropriate measures at the right time.”
