IT’S a road that causes anger for thousands of motorists every day.

And now campaigners have had enough, launching a petition calling on city transport chiefs to install traffic lights at Woodmill Bridge to ease the confusion and congestion.

But some frustrated motorists have already taken action into their own hands by putting up signs reading “only a fool breaks the three-car rule”.

City council opposition leader Royston Smith is carrying out a poll to see if residents want lights added to Woodmill Bridge.

However, the city council says that although traffic signals could ease traffic problems the cost of works, which could reach £150,000, means any scheme is unlikely to go ahead.

Cllr Smith, leader of the council’s Conservative opposition, says the bridge now has 8,000 vehicle movements every day with motorists experiencing congestion regularly at peak times.

He has launched an online poll to see whether there is wide support for lights, with a view to pressing the city council to install them if there is.

He said: “Lots of people complain about it. There had been a trial when traffic lights were installed, and some people said they worked well.

“I think the ideal situation would be if they were installed and phased to work at peak times.

“A lot of people have asked the council to do something and I thought I’d test public opinion.”

So far 186 people have signed the online poll and petition with some residents expressing support for traffic lights.

One motorist, Sheila Parker, said: “This bridge needs traffic lights to keep the traffic flowing. To have to queue and wait for someone to give way is frustrating and not the best way to start the day.”

Another motorist, Peter Harding, added: “The traffic flow was much better when lights were installed.

“It is now terrible without them. We need the lights back please.”

Richard Alderson, parking and traffic management officer at the city council, said highways contractor Balfour Beatty had estimated the cost would be between £100,000 and £150,000, largely due to the cost of installing cables between the two ends of the bridge.

He added: “The cost of the scheme is significant for works of this type and although the council has found that the queues in the peaks can be better managed by traffic lights it is likely there would still be some congestion during peak times.

“The benefits are therefore marginal when set against the cost of the scheme and the council would need a better outcome to justify funding for the proposal.”

He said other factors taken into consideration included the fact that signals could cause vehicle speeds to increase as people would not need to give way and that technology to remotely control signals was “not sufficiently reliable”.

To sign the petition visit www.thepetitionsite.com