Calls for changes to bin collections in Whittlesey have been made to try to improve traffic flow during the rush hour.

Residents living along the A605 currently have their bins collected on a Monday morning at 9am, but this often causes congestion for commuters who have to wait to pass the refuse lorry causing backlogs.

Steve Barclay, MP for North East Cambs, together with Whittlesey Mayor Alex Miscandlon have said this not only causes inconvenience but is also a safety risk for motorists who get impatient with the delay.

Mr Barclay said this can lead to drivers trying to overtake the refuse lorry when it is not really safe to do so.

He said: “It seems surprising that we need to collect bins on a busy commuter route on a Monday morning, when traffic is high. It makes more sense to move this to a quieter time in the week.

“Councillor Alex Miscandlon and myself discussed this with Whittlesey residents recently, and together we are requesting Fenland District Council change the collection time to ease pressure on traffic on Monday mornings.”

He added: “If you have been affected by this do let me know. Hopefully we can avoid future backlogs of traffic from refuse collection on Monday mornings so people do not get delayed on this busy route.”

A spokesman for Fenland council said: “We understand that bin collections along the A605 can sometimes cause delays. To minimise these, we have tried various options on routes and timings.

“However, it is always a very busy road and unfortunately a degree of disruption is unavoidable. The long stretch from Whittlesey to the Peterborough boundary has the added complication of the busy railway crossing.

“There are 3.2 million bin collections across Fenland every year. We review all our rounds twice a year to ensure that they are as safe, efficient and cost-effective as possible.

“As a result, across the two-week collection period the A605 collections are broken down across 14 separate rounds. Of these, 11 are made before 8am or after 9am.”