Work on one of the county’s biggest junctions has been delayed by six months after contractors found hidden cables while digging.

Balfour Beatty was due to complete a 12-month programme of remedial work at the A13/A130 Sadlers Farm in December but yesterday, the company confirmed it won’t be completed until at least the summer due to “unforeseen complications”.

Motorists have endured lane closures, night closures and 50mph limits at the busy junction for more than a year already.

Essex County Council revealed workmen had encountered “utility pipes and cables - gas, electric, water, maybe telecoms - that don’t appear on the charts supplied by those utilities”.

A spokesman for Essex County Council and Balfour Beatty said: “We are working closely together to effectively plan and manage works to minimise disruption to the travelling public. As such, we have implemented overnight construction activities to keep traffic moving.

“Due to unforeseen complications including poor ground conditions and uncharted services, we are currently undertaking additional works to the A13/A130 Sadlers Farm junction at no additional cost to the taxpayer. The works, which are expected to complete in summer 2019, involve further roadside drainage, embankment strengthening and extensive piling repair.”

The remedial works at Sadlers Farm have been carried out despite a two-year project to rebuild the junction only finishing in 2012.

Motorists took to social media to vent their anger.

One said: “What an absolute farce, and now closing both inside lanes from and to Pitsea turning, for night works. Why can’t the cones be removed for the daily traffic? Years of problems with traffic around Sadlers and the shambles return,

Another added: “No cost to the taxpayer? What about the sheer amount of time and fuel wasted sitting in the bloody traffic this is causing, especially now they’re working at Stanford on the A13 as well. We should all be claiming compensation”