From lunchtime until 10 p.m. yesterday there were traffic tailbacks on the A-45 motorway going to Cordoba between Casabermeja and Las Pedrizas because of resurfacing work going on.

The resurfacing, which is necessary for road safety, started two months ago but yesterday it involved cutting off up to two of the three lanes in the which go to Cordoba causing traffic queues of more than six kilometres and numerous vehicles to break down.

The work being undertaken between kilometres 114 and 117 on the road meant that tailbacks reached kilometre 123 and affected many of the 50,000 drivers who use the A-45 every day.

Last night the road markings were painted and today the work will be concluded but tomorrow resurfacing of the lanes going to Malaga will be done.

Drivers couldn't understand why the work was done during the day on such a busy road. "My client got fed up waiting for me. They could have told us," said salesman Antonio Mata.

Meanwhile the PP and IU parties are demanding that the Ministry of Development restart work on the new AP-46 toll motorway. According to them yesterday's problem wouldn't have been as serious if the new road had been finished. Both parties are concerned that without the new AP-46 there will once again be serious traffic problems in Malaga this summer.