THE man who reported a gas leak in Hereford wishes he hadn’t bothered because of traffic congestion caused during the repair.

Malcolm Hankins raised the alarm after smelling gas on Edgar Street.

He has reported many gas leaks over the years but says he is reluctant to do so again.

Mr Hankins, who lives in Brunel Court, Moorfields, said: “I normally phone the gas emergency people but I doubt I will do it again if it’s on the road – not if it’s going to cause that kind of chaos.”

He believes the congestion cut numbers at a bank holiday sale at Hereford market site while motorists struggled to get way down the A49.

“I am trying to contact the ombudsman because I am unable to trace the person who ordered the laying of a huge number of cones for such a small area of work,” he said. “There was no need for a single cone in Eign Street.”

Last week the Hereford Times reported how the problems, caused by roadworks close to the Steels car dealership, saw Whitecross Road, Ross Road and Belmont Road the worst hit areas.

Jane Taylor, National Grid press officer, said the work was to determine the position of four or five escape points in the area. The ground had to be vented to find where gas was escaping and resurfacing work carried out.