Is this Scotland's most dug up road?

The charge came from MSP Richard Lyle who described tailbacks on Sunday as “horrendous”.

He has written to North Lanarkshire Council chief executive Paul Jukes demanding to know why the roadworks were taking place. Mr Lyle claimed no notice was given, but the council said that was not the case.

Meanwhile, drivers are bracing themselves for more delays as gas main replacement works on Merry Street are due to begin next week and last for more than two months.

The stretch between the town centre and Jerviston has been affected by roadworks at various times in recent years.

Mr Lyle, whose Uddingston and Bellshill constituency includes part of Merry Street, said: “Of course roadworks are necessary at times, but this is becoming the most dug up road in Scotland.

“It’s a major road into Motherwell and I want to know why this latest work has to be done. What are they doing now?

“On Sunday there were four-way traffic lights and the situation was horrendous.”

A council spokesman said a Scottish Water contractor was replacing two “defective, noisy manhole covers” on Sunday and notice of this was given via the Scottish Road Works Register in July.

Gas network company SGN is carrying out the works which begin next week and notices on the road warn drivers to expect delays.

The council spokesman added: “The works will be carried out under temporary traffic signals and the contractor will manually control these signals to try to assist with the traffic flows and keep delays to the minimum.”

Details of current and planned roadworks can be found on the national register via https://www.roadworksscotland.org/