Residents in Farnham have been battling traffic throughout most of September as a water company carries out emergency works on a key route into and out of town.

The work began at the Shepherd and Flock Roundabout on Wednesday, August 26, with Thames Water initially estimating a completion date of Friday, September 25.

However, because of the complexity of the repairs and high groundwater levels, Thames Water says it is now unable to provide an accurate timescale for when the work will be completed.

Meanwhile, Farnham faces traffic chaos at peak times, with queues backing up along Guildford Road, the A31 bypass and the Hogs Back. Some residents say the disruption is adding 30 minutes to their journeys.

Anthony Gough and Anne Gough, visiting Farnham from Bognor Regis, said: “If you think there are travel problems here, you have never experienced the A27 near Chippenham.

“I can imagine for the people that live here it is frustrating and, with the other roadworks in town, a lot of money which could probably be spent better elsewhere.”

Sharon Wayte, at The Bourne Mill, said: “It is frustrating and it seems like it was only last year that the same issue happened and that was weeks of work as well.

“They just disappear on weekends when they could be getting it done. Hardly anyone is coming this side of town and social media like Facebook is telling people not to come this way. It is impacting business.”

Another person, who did not give their name, said: “It adds 30 minutes to my journey, and it is a pain to get to Farnham from the A331 towards Camberley.

“I must use Aldershot and the Farnborough Road to get here. Sometimes when I leave of an evening there is more traffic as they pick up the cones. It is a nightmare.”

A Thames Water spokesperson said: “We identified a burst on our rising main sewer at the Shepherd and Flock roundabout in Farnham on 26 August.

“To enable repairs to be carried out safely, a lane closure and traffic management remain in place at the site.

“Unfortunately, the high groundwater level is making the repair more challenging than anticipated, and as a result we are currently unable to provide a confirmed timescale for completion.

“We apologise for the disruption and inconvenience this may cause and would like to reassure customers that our teams are working as quickly as possible to complete the repair.”