MOTORISTS who have endured weeks of traffic troubles due to a £1 million bridge repair project are facing further roadworks woe, it has emerged.

In a double blow to harassed Durham City commuters, Durham County Council has learned New Elvet Bridge needs “essential maintenance” and, as a result, a £2.5 million high-tech traffic shake-up aimed cutting congestion in the city has been delayed.

Drivers have faced long delays getting through the city centre since a £1 million repair job for Milburngate Bridge, which carries about 48,000 vehicles a day across the River Wear on the A690, began in mid-July. That work is due to be completed by the end of August.

But experts have discovered that New Elvet Bridge, which carries traffic between the city centre and the A167 and A177 to the south, needs essential maintenance in the “medium term”.

Like Milburngate Bridge, New Elvet Bridge was built in the 1960s and needs once-in-a-generation repairs.

How much work is needed will only be known later this year, but council chiefs want it done at the same time as a new traffic light-controlled junction is built at Leazes Bowl roundabout, as part of the £2.5 million “Scoot” scheme to install “smart” traffic lights across the city and cut rush hour delays and fumes.

Work was due to begin at Gilesgate roundabout in September, with Leazes Bowl following from January.

But the Gilesgate work will now be carried out between January and May, with Leazes Bowl and the New Elvet Bridge repairs following from next summer, or even late 2017.

The Scoot system, also covering Milburngate roundabout and the traffic light junction of New Elvet and Old Elvet, would not be switched on until some time later, possibly into 2018.

Dave Wafer, the council’s strategic traffic manager, said: “We had to take a judgement. We didn’t want to upset the people of Durham and the travelling public.

“We want to keep disruption to a minimum. We’re working hard to avoid causing misery for people.”

The £2.5 million cost of Scoot has already been identified in the council’s budget, but the cost of repairing New Elvet Bridge remains unknown.

Liberal Democrat councillor Mark Wilkes said the Scoot system should have been installed years ago.

He also criticised progress on an Air Quality Action Plan to cut levels of nitrogen dioxide, a pollutant derived from vehicle exhausts, in the city.

Joanne Waller, the council’s head of environment, health and consumer protection, said a draft plan, with measures to cut emissions and congestion, was being discussed and would be subject to public consultation this autumn.

The council stressed New Elvet Bridge is safe and the public should not be worried about the pollution levels.