MOTORISTS were confronted with major queues as town centre roadworks came to an end — but nearby businesses say there is now ‘light at the end of the tunnel’.

A new bus lane came into effect in Great Moor Street at around 11am yesterday and a one-way system in place for the last four months was reversed.

However, there was a short spell on Monday morning when the key town centre route was completely shut, causing chaos for drivers.

Saeed Atcha, who was driving into Bolton at the time, said: “It was incredibly frustrating. I was on my way into work and I had seen that the road would be open in the opposite direction today, so I came a different way.

“But when I got there, I realised that you still couldn’t turn in off Bradshawgate, so I had to drive all the way around to the other side.

“Then when I got there, it was shut in both directions. I must have spent about half an hour driving around.”

Traffic can now turn on to Great Moor Street from Bradshawgate, which has not been the case since the roadworks project — designed to improve traffic flow around the new transport interchange — began.

However, driver will need to use Newport Street and Trinity Street to get on to Bradshawgate from Great Moor Street.

A council spokesman said: “There was a small period when we were switching things over in the morning that traffic was unable to get through and we would like to apologise for any disruption this caused.”

Nearby businesses will be glad to see the back of the disruption. Tasos Pattichis, of the Olympus Chippy, said: “It is difficult to judge how congested it is going to be there now. But the traffic has been flowing quite well and once the interchange opens it will be better again.

“For myself and everyone else on our side of the road, it has been one of the worst periods of our business lives. But when the work is completed, the footfall from the interchange and the university building will increase our business.

“Hopefully, there is light at the end of the tunnel now.”