BRITISH Telecom has been blamed for causing long delays in Godmanchester in this morning’s peak.

BRITISH Telecom has apologised for causing long delays in Godmanchester in Tuesday morning’s peak.

The telecoms giant had asked for a 24-hour traffic-light control to allow the surface dressing on Avenue Road to cure after a repair.

“We asked that the lights be manned to minimise disruption in the peaks – which they are now doing,” said a spokesman for Cambridgeshire County Council, the highway authority.

Queues on Monday evening tailed back onto Huntingdon ring road. On Tuesday morning they reached the A14, a mile away.

A BT spokesman said on Wednesday: “This was essential work to rebuild a manhole frame and cover on Cooks Bridge. Because of the location we had no alternatives with the traffic management required.

“As it is built into the framework of the bridge, it required specialist works to build the new frame and then to let that seal into the bridge, and this meant that the carriageway had to remain closed. We then returned to replace the cover.

“Works were completed and the carriageway re-opened at around 3pm yesterday (Tuesday.)

“

We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused while this repair was being carried out.”