MOTORING misery has turned to anger after drivers found out a slip road had been coned off for safety reasons.

No roadworks were actually being carried out on the slip road, which allows traffic leaving Canvey to hook up with the London-bound A13 at the notorious Sadlers Farm junction.

Traffic leaving the island on Canvey Way had previously used the slipway to avoiding congestion at the mega-roundabout, but the lane has been closed since June 15, leading to tailbacks on the island.

Essex County Council says the sliproad will remain coned off in the interests of driver safety. The two lanes on the A13 London-bound have been narrowed between Sadlers Farm and Pitsea flyover.

Essex County Council says it wants to avoid traffic merging into these lanes from the sliproad.

However, Kris Chandler, 51, of Craven Avenue, Canvey, said work had been going on long before the cones were brought in.

She said: “I can’t understand why they’ve decided to close the slip road off now.

“Those lanes have been narrow for quite some time, and I haven’t seen any accidents there.”

Mrs Chandler, who leaves the island every day to commute to Thurrock, says the cones are causing major delays and frustration for motorists.

She added: “I leave half an hour early every day to avoid the queues, and sometimes I’ve been stuck in traffic as far back as the Morrisons roundabout.

“It’s so frustrating when you finally get to Sadlers Farm and find the slip road is completely empty.” The slip road is shut as part of a massive £68million upgrade of the Sadlers Farm junction.

A council spokesman added: “Essex County Council has taken the decision to close the slip road as a risk mitigation measure whilst the current phase of work is carried out on the Sadler’s Farm Improvement Scheme, following a series of traffic management meetings.”