Daily Echo: Traffic sign Check the latest local traffic reports

TRAFFIC lights that brought chaos to a Hampshire motorway in yesterday's morning rush hour were back to normal today.

The Daily Echo revealed how thousands of angry motorists were yesterday caught up in hour long jams after the timing of the lights at the M27 junction three roundabout were changed for road works.

The Highways Agency sparked fury among motorist when it insisted post school holiday traffic not the lights were to blame.

But today traffic flows along the westbound M27 to the junction with the M271 appeared to have returned to normal.

One motorist caught up in yesterday's chaos said: “They were definitely back to normal this morning “The fact the Highways Agency denied anything was wrong yesterday just makes me more angry.

“The lights were on green for 45 seconds this morning when yesterday it was more like 15 seconds.”

Local traffic centre ROMANSE had issued a warning that the changes to the lights would cause congestion and that “drivers should expect delays especially during peak times” into the week.

And police said there had been no reported accidents along the affected stretch of the M27.

Commuter Sara Mills was caught in yesterday’s chaos for over an hour after setting out from Warsash at 8.30am.

She said: “The traffic was diabolical. It was so frustrating sitting there for an hour and a quarter with no indication of what was wrong.

“It was clearly more than the return of the school run.”

Motorists were subjected to weeks of hold ups when the traffic lights were first installed three years ago.

Desperate drivers took to using the Rownhams services as a fourth lane to cut out about a mile and a half of stationary traffic.

And a petition was set up on the Number 10 website calling for the lights to be taken down.

It took months for the “intelligent” lights to learn how to smooth traffic flows.

The Highways Agency, which manages motorways and major A roads in England, said for technical reasons the traffic lights were switched to timer control and were “not functioning as normal” on Friday.

But the spokeswoman said the issues had been resolved by Friday night and said the lights were “functioning correctly” yesterday.

She added: "The volume of traffic at the M27 junction 3 was consistent with normal Monday mornings, especially a Monday after a half term.”