Congestion around Milton Street has meant buses travelling down Mansfield Road are often at a stand-still.

Officials from the �11m scheme, Turning Point, said the current phase of work is nearing completion.

Some motorists said the idea of having one route in and out restricts traffic flow and does not allow for accidents or other road closures.

It's becoming notorious as one big traffic jam, people from out of the area actually avoid meetings here Steven Pearson

Commuter Steven Pearson, 44, a solicitor from Bingham, said: "What's happened is all the traffic is being funnelled down Canal Street, increasing the chance of an accident as well as increasing the volume.

"The journey is taking a lot longer, I think for people coming from the north, it's a lot slower.

"I think the whole Turning Point scheme hasn't been thought through very well, what they're doing is making the city totally inaccessible.

"It's becoming notorious as one big traffic jam, people from out of the area actually avoid meetings here.

"The council really should think about what's appropriate for the city's needs rather than trying to get everyone to use public transport."

Ambitious changes

According to the city council, the Turning Point project is designed to create a city centre largely free of traffic.

It is the biggest road improvement scheme it has ever undertaken.

Barry Birch from Nottingham City Transport, which is behind the road development, said: "We're all looking forward to 24 July when the road changes come to the road network.

"Hopefully then it will get better, we did warn customers, we did put notices on buses advising customers services were going to be delayed during these particular two weeks.