Council engineers said contractors were to blame for a series of blunders which led to traffic chaos on a major route out of Bradford.

Furious residents demanded answers after traffic became gridlocked around the Odsal roundabout at the weekend when maintenance work was being carried out.

Last night Bradford Council officers told a public meeting there had been a string of failings including a lack of diversion signs, a delay to the start of the work, poor communication with residents and insufficient policing.

And they promised new signs and extra police would be in place when work resumes this weekend.

Bradford Council's principal engineer, Geoff Marsh, said the authority had been "badly let down" by contractors Mowlem who were carrying out the work as part of the South Bradford Integrated Transport Scheme.

The road surface is being replaced and two bridges over the A641 Huddersfield Road are being strengthened.

Mr Marsh admitted letters warning of the disruption were sent out to residents too late or not at all and said advanced warning signs were put up a week late.

But angry residents accused the Council of passing the buck and threatened to blockade Netherlands Avenue which was used by traffic caught in the queues.

They claimed signposts had mistakenly diverted traffic down the 'access only' street, leaving some residents unable to get out of their drives.

And many feared the long-term problem of rat-running on Netherlands Avenue would worsen as drivers grew accustomed to using the route as a short-cut.

Stephen Thoma, boss of Odsal Motorcycle Company, branded the handling of the situation "shameful". He said: "The Council has done nothing at all to liaise with the businesses round here."

And Roy Gorthorpe, who owns a fish shop on Odsal roundabout, called for compensation for businesses which lost trade.

Darren Badrock, Bradford Council's engineer responsible for the project, said there were "lessons to be learned" from the weekend, but said some drivers had ignored diversion signs. "If drivers choose to ignore the signs then it is out of our control."

Councillor Dave Green (Lab, Odsal) called on the police to fine drivers who defied the diversion signs.

The roundabout will close at 7pm tonight until 4.30am on Monday.