There were long delays for drivers at rush hour today as people tried to navigate their way through roadworks around Blackburn.

Multiple roadworks on some of the main routes through the town were causing tailbacks for motorists.

Roadworks are essential to allow work to take place on utilities including, water, gas and electricity, vital to everyday life, and also to improve road surfaces or fix damage caused by crashed vehicles.

While most are planned, sometimes emergencies mean work has to take place at short notice, and sometimes unexpected difficulties can cause work to overrun.

On Monday evening a five-minute journey was taking upwards to half an hour, some drivers said.

With the queues and delays, it may be wiser for some people making short journeys to leave the car at home and travel by foot or bicycle, avoiding sitting in traffic and wasting fuel through idling engines, and getting some healthy exercise instead.

Opting for public transport can also make journeys quicker by taking lots of cars off the roads and utilising the bus lanes around the town.

Some motorists bemoaned quickly changing traffic lights where only around 10 cars got through at a time at some lights.

Barbara Castle Way was backed up from Montague Street to Victoria Street with drivers attempting to find alternative routes.

Anyone attempting to go through the town centre also found Blakey Moor closed to traffic due to a major building work taking place.

There are also temporary traffic lights in place at the Kings Street junction with Montague Street.

One lane was also closed at the top of Montague Street with no left turn from Preston New Road.

Drivers heading into town have to sit in one lane of traffic all the way back to Saunders Road.

There were more lights in place in Redlam which were due to be lifted on November 27 but had to be extended until December 4.

On Lower Audley there were more delays at the junction with Bennington Street, with works there due to last until December 6.

According to the One.Network roadworks on Audley Range are due to last until December 17.

One driver said it had taken him 40 minutes to get home – a journey which normally would take 10 minutes.

He said: “Why has so much work been authorised throughout Blackburn at the same time?  Who authorised the work?

“A 10-minute journey is taking 40 minutes. It’s ridiculous.

"We are a small town, we can’t handle every single main road in and out of Blackburn being locked down like this."

The first day of lights at the King Street junction had caused long queuesWork here is due to be completed quickly according to the One.Network.Another driver said: “We know that roadworks have to take place and they are part of life.

"But the normal lights in Blackburn are already bad. You have to rush through in case they change.

“A big problem is the junction at the bottom of Barbara Castle Way and Montague Street which only lets through 10 cars causing a long queue up Barbara Castle Way."

On Monday morning, workers installed four-way temporary traffic lights at the King Street and Montague Street junction. This work is due to last two weeks.

To try and avoid the delay drivers may opt to head into the town centre along Feilden Street or take a right into Oakenhurst Road.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has been approached for comment.