Fresh Traffic Light Failure Causes Gridlock in Market Harborough
Written by HFM News on 1st October 2026
Drivers in Market Harborough have been left frustrated again after temporary traffic lights failed during this morning’s rush hour.
One set at the Rockingham Road and Gores Lane junction was completely out of action, while others were stuck on red, causing gridlock on all approaches.
The lights have now failed more than ten times since the junction improvement work began in August, with concerns also raised over safety as drivers negotiate the lane restrictions.
This morning’s failure of the temporary traffic lights caused lengthy queues on all approaches to the junction.
Leicestershire County Council says it is aware of the “ongoing issues” with the temporary traffic signals and “regrets” the inconvenience this has caused for residents.
Dan Trimble was one of the drivers caught up in this morning’s congestion.
He told HFM it took him “over 45 minutes to move less than a mile” and described the situation as “a complete joke”.
He added it’s happened “numerous times”, with people late for work and children late for school.
This morning’s failure of the temporary traffic lights caused lengthy queues on all approaches to the junction.
A council spokesperson said: “Temporary signals are managed by a contractor on site each day, to manage issues or incidents. Issues taking place outside these hours can unfortunately take time to rectify.”
The council says it is working with the contractor to understand the “root cause” of the repeated failures and find solutions.
It also says that following the completion of work by a third-party utility company next week, a simpler traffic management arrangement is expected.
This will include the removal of the temporary traffic signals at Hartland Drive.
The council says it regrets the inconvenience caused to residents and county councillor David Page told HFM he understands the frustration felt by drivers:
