Irate drivers faced up to an hour's delay trying to get through St Paul's Bay yesterday when a traffic diversion at the bypass was compounded by a construction crane in the town which slowed traffic to a snail's pace.

The crane was being used in the narrowest part of St Paul's Road, through which traffic was being diverted towards Xemxija because the northbound carriageway of the bypass was closed for works.

The crane was removed at noon following a complaint. The local council apologised for the inconvenience. The diversion will be in place until Saturday for defective parts of the recently reconstructed bypass to be redone after several sections of its surface were found to be uneven.

A local council spokesman said the permit for the crane was issued long before it (the council) was informed about the closure of the bypass.

Another permit was issued last week for works to be carried out today in St Paul's Road between noon and 3.15 p.m. This time traffic will be able to flow from both sides and a warden will be on site, the spokesman added.