A TELECOMMUNICATIONS company has apologised and has pledged to carry out a review following the delays on the A590 this week.

Hour-long delays were reported from Tuesday after temporary traffic were put up to allow work on a winding section of the eastbound carriageway past Greenodd roundabout to be carried out.

A number of councillors from Barrow, Walney, Dalton and Ulverston were late arriving for a budget meeting of Cumbria County Council in Kendal on Thursday - and criticised the timing and planning of the works.

Now, a spokesman for Openreach, which was carrying out the work, said: “We’re sorry for the delays caused on the A590 between Greenodd and Haverthwaite.

"We had to urgently repair an underground box and manhole frame and temporary traffic lights were needed to work safely.

The work started on Tuesday and have now finished.

“We always try and minimise disruption to local residents and motorists, and we’re carrying out a full review of what happened here, in light of the comments from Highways England.

"If we’ve fallen short of the high standards we set for ourselves, then we’ll do whatever is needed to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Keith Little, the cabinet member for highways, said the road was the responsibility of Highways England.

A Highways England spokesman told The Mail this week the issue was 'investigated' and it was 'discovered they weren't being operated as we requested - including that they be staffed to minimise needless queuing.'

He said the topic will be raised at the newly re-established forum the county council is leading.