Traffic census causes huge jam

Thousands of drivers endured huge delays in central London today as an official transport census clashed with major roadworks on one of the main routes into the capital.

About one in 10 vehicles was stopped for a transport survey on a stretch of the Marylebone Road which was also restricted to one lane for emergency repairs.

The road was reduced from three lanes to two earlier this year when a bus lane was installed.

By 7am a slow-moving, two-mile tailback had already built up. By 7.15, a three-mile jam stretched back to the Northern Roundabout on the A40.

"It is absolute chaos, making people's journeys into work much, much longer today," said an AA Roadwatch spokesman.

"So many people are stuck in the tailback that we expect it will take a long time to clear - there will still be big delays after the rush hour."

The transport census, to plot demands on roads and public transport, is being carried out for Transport for London.