It’s hoped that the section of roadworks at the roundabout at Ardkeen which has led to extremely heavy traffic and long delays in recent days will be completed today.

A natural gas main is being being laid to service University Hospital Waterford, with the pipe being brought from the Williamstown road to the hospital.

There has been traffic chaos for the past couple of days with drivers reporting delays of up to half an hour trying to exit the Tesco carpark.

Director of services with responsibility for roads at Waterford Council Fergus Galvin says the delays are unfortunate but they have limited options:

“There is no painless way of doing this. But what I will says is the contractor is hoping to get out of that roundabout later on this evening.

“Today is the most disruptive day that we have on the road and after that it will be back to some works on the other side of it from Tesco roundabout to Ardkeen next week but they will become more minimal as the week goes on.”

Fergus says the contractor hopes to have the bulk of the work completed by the end of next week before schools return after the summer holidays.