Jen Wake, 49, of Renwick Road, Blyth, described traffic as “absolutely appalling”.

“People are completely fed up with it, I had to go to an event at my daughter’s school and I showed up half an hour late, it’s ridiculous,” she said.

“It takes an hour to travel two miles.”

Conservative Blyth Borough councilor Brian Erskine also admitted the situation was “frustrating”.

“Traffic on Cowpen Road has always been bad, it’s worse now and I agree more could be done to raise people’s awareness.”