EMERGENCY roadworks for an electricity fault have been making life a misery for drivers.

Four-way temporary traffic lights have been in place on the A26 Malling Down at the junction with Church Lane, Lewes, since Thursday.

The emergency works are being carried out by UK Power Networks and are dealing with a major electricity fault.

But temporary traffic lights have been causing massive tailbacks, with delays of an hour reported by travel Twitter page Sussex Travel Watch.

The A26 runs from Newhaven up to to Lewes and on to Tunbridge Wells.

The congestion has also spread to the A27 and the A259 coastal road.

UK Power Networks are now set to install two sets of temporary traffic lights instead to ease congestion as the work continues over the bank holiday to Tuesday.

One commuter told The Argus: “I normally ride in but unfortunately yesterday I took my car thinking I’d be OK heading to Brighton along the coast road at 7.20am.

“Big mistake. The queue started much further back than usual, in Peacehaven.

“It was so bad I thought there must have been an accident but I didn’t see one and it took one and a half hours between Newhaven and Brighton.

“It’s crazy as we’re all just sat there. I’ll stick to the bicycle in future.”

East Sussex Highways, who maintain over 2,000 miles of highway in the county. said they have asked UK Power Networks to try and reduce the disruption.

A spokesman for East Sussex Highways said: “We are aware of the disruption caused by the four way traffic lights on the A26 at Malling Hill and have asked UK Power Networks to alter the traffic management to ease the problem.

“The four way traffic lights currently in place at the junction are to be replaced with two way lights this afternoon. Traffic from Mill Road will filter into the controlled traffic on Malling Hill, while the Church Lane junction will be closed and diversion routes put in place.

“The emergency electrical work is expected to continue until May 2 and we will continue to monitor the situation. We would encourage motorists to find alternative routes where possible while the work is ongoing.”

A UK Power Networks spokeswoman said: "UK Power Networks  engineers are working as quickly as possible to complete essential repairs to an underground electricity cable at the junction of Malling Hill and Mill Road, in Lewes, to maintain reliable electricity supplies for local customers.

"We apologise for any inconvenience caused and we are working extended hours to complete the work as quickly as possible.

"We are aiming to complete the repairs by Monday. Meanwhile we are manually controlling the traffic lights to minimise the impact on traffic."

More roadworks are due to take place around the county next week.

Work will continue to signalling work on a junction on the A259 Bexhill between Sandhurst Lane and Broadoak Lane. Temporary traffic signals will be on place on Tuesday, May 2 for two days between 9am and 4pm.

Resurfacing work is set to continue on the A26 Lewes. The road will be closed in both directions between Beddingham and Tarring Neville on May 4.