Severe weather conditions caused lengthy delays for motorists in Marown last week after problems developed at the Ballagarey traffic lights in Glen Vine.

Drivers travelling along the A1 reported being held at the junction for unusually long periods, with the signals failing to switch to green and traffic backing up.

The issue coincided with a spell of particularly poor weather, during which the Met Office issued four separate alerts for heavy rain, prompting flooding in several areas across the island.

The Department of Infrastructure has confirmed that the weather played a direct role in the malfunction.

A spokesperson said the Highways Traffic team took action as soon as they were made aware of the situation.

In a statement, the department said: ‘When the Department of Infrastructure’s Highways Traffic team learned of problems at the junction, they investigated and rectified the signals.

‘Severe weather conditions changed the alignment of the above-ground detectors and changed inputs. This situation has been corrected and the traffic flow has returned to normal.

‘If anyone identifies a problem with highways, they can report it to us directly via our website.’

The misalignment of sensors meant the traffic lights were not registering waiting vehicles correctly, preventing the system from cycling through phases as designed.

Motorists described queues forming at peak times as cars attempted to filter through the junction, some waiting up to ten minutes before the lights eventually changed.

The problem added to wider disruption across the island as heavy rain continued for much of the week.

Standing water, overflowing drains and difficult driving conditions were reported in a number of locations.

Motorists who contacted the department to flag the issue have been thanked for doing so, and the DoI is encouraging road users to continue reporting any faults promptly to help ensure disruptions are kept to a minimum.