Roadworks have brought Bury St Edmunds to a standstill this week and there are fears the traffic chaos will only worsen as children return to school this morning.
Drivers who have been caught up in the congestion over the past two days fear that pupils will now be late for school on their first day back after the long six-week holiday.
Suffolk Highways have shut Eastgate Street and Mustow Street between Barn Lane and Cotton Lane for resurfacing and the roads will not reopen until Friday, September 13.
Read more: Key Town road closed completely first week schools go back
Now the community has taken to Facebook to voice their concerns that the added weight of school run traffic will bring the town centre to a standstill.
Claire Greener posted: "Yes, let's close one of the busiest roads into town just before the children go back to school.
"Does anyone know why? Is there a logical reason for it?"
Another resident who does not wish to be named, said: "Bury is at a standstill due to the really bad planning of roadworks when the kids go back to school, they've had six weeks to do some the work in school holidays, ridiculous."
Pamela Seale said: "Ridiculous why shut one of the busy roads when children start back to school and with all the other roads cut off with roadworks.
"Could have got all this sorted in the school holiday, six weeks surely that could have been done."
Jill Mayhew, joined in with the debate on the We Really Love Bury St Edmunds Facebook page, posting: "It's not all about schools.
"We have had roadworks all through the holidays, so they can't all be done in that six-week window.
"Tayfen Road is a problem as it appears that it is to do with the flats being built not the road surface, now that is annoying, but we are all safe, no hurricanes ripping our land, no disastrous fires going through our forest."
A spokesman for Suffolk County Council has said the dates were agreed with members of Bury St Edmunds Town Council and West Suffolk Council.
He said: "There have been two meetings between Suffolk Highways and members of both Bury St Edmunds Town Council and West Suffolk Council in January and April 2019 respectively, to discuss the resurfacing of Eastgate Street.
"The proposed work dates were agreed during these meetings following consultation with town representatives."
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