MOTORISTS are set to face further traffic chaos in Darlington town centre over the next few weeks as more work is carried out on the ring road.

The borough council has been undertaking work on the road in recent weeks as part of its £6.5m 'pedestrian heart' project.

It has often caused traffic standstills - and last month Conservative councillors said the roadworks mayhem was ironic as Darlington was promoting itself as a 'town on the move'.

But the situation is likely to get worse during the next three weeks, as a stretch of St Cuthbert's Way is reduced to just one lane.

The section of road from the Stonebridge roundabout to the Haughton Road roundabout will have just one lane, while Transco carries out work to renew a gas pipeline.

Coun Bill Stenson, who represents Mowden ward, said travelling in the town centre - and particularly on the ring road - had become a nightmare.

"People are ringing me up all the time to complain about it," he said.

However, a council spokesman insisted that the work was critical to the town centre redevelopment plans.

"It's going to be a short-term inconvenience for long-term gain. This is work that has to be done," he said.