Drivers still getting stuck on Kingsway Retail Park in Derby

There are still problems despite the layout of Kingsway Retail Park being changed

Frustrated drivers have reported continuing problems with in gridlock on a retail park, despite the layout being changed to improve the flow of traffic.

Some drivers said it had taken them more than an hour to get out of Kingsway Retail Park in Derby.

Kingsways' owners have blamed "the wider road network", saying it was struggling to deal with traffic.

However, Derby City Council said it was "for the site owners" to improve traffic flow within the retail park.

'Put us off visiting'

Emily Hill, who visited the retail park on Sunday with a friend, said the problem seemed worse than before the layout was changed.

"What was meant to be a 20-minute round trip turned into well over an hour, with 45 minutes in gridlock," she said.

"We barely moved the entire time we were queuing to leave, and said we could have walked home quicker.

"I have visited the car park frequently before the changes were made, and never encountered this issue.

"I have never experienced anything like it and it's actually put us off ever visiting again if this is a permanent change."

Dean Playford said he avoids visiting if he sees queues of traffic

The retail park is based off the ring road going around Derby.

Orchard Street Investment Management LLP, which bought the retail park in 2016, said there had been "traffic issues" associated with the scheme for much of its ownership.

It said these were "caused by a build-up at the nearby A38 roundabout, creating queues that back up to the retail park and make it difficult to exit on to the main road at certain times of the day".

"We have continuously sought to improve these issues through direct engagement with the council and National Highways," the owners said.

"Ultimately, the wider road network system is struggling to deal with the volume of vehicles passing through."

Paige Bednall said she shops online to avoid coming to the retail park

Some visitors to the retail park spoke to BBC Radio Derby on Tuesday, when there wasn't as much traffic.

Dean Playford, from Littleover, said: "If I can see traffic queuing down the road, I won't turn in, I'll go round the island and go to another shopping complex.

"I don't want to chance getting stuck in for hours."

Keith Hollis, from Mackworth, said: "I avoid it like the plague if I can, but my wife likes to come up, so we do.

"It's always a trouble at Christmas, school holiday, most weekends. But a big trouble at Christmas with all the sales.

"It's a good shopping centre, just poorly located to get in and out."

Paige Bednall, from Mackworth, said: "It's always been like this. I've been here before and have queued for three hours to get in and out.

"I shop online now, to save me coming out to Kingsway. It's my local shopping centre but when you have kids, who are moaning and want to run around, and you're stuck in the queues, there's nothing worse."

Queues were common before the changes to the layout were made

Derby City Council insisted on modifications to the retail park when it granted permission for a new JD Sports megastore, which opened on Saturday.

This has meant an entrance has been shut to traffic, while another access road has become two-way.

It was hoped this would ease congestion leading out of the retail park.

'We are limited'

Councillor Carmel Swan, cabinet member for Climate Change, Transport and Sustainability, said: "We're aware of the traffic issues around Kingsway Retail Park, however as it is on private land we are limited in what we can do.

"We are currently carrying out works on the roundabout next to the retail park that will see the current traffic lights removed and new independent Toucan crossings installed.

"As the retail park is on private land it will be for the site owners to decide what is needed within the park to improve traffic flow."