Fuming motorists have been spotted in angry clashes at Walsall’s new Arboretum junction as a new set of roadworks sparked town centre chaos.

Drivers described angry confrontations on the junction over the weekend as being like “Downtown New York”, with horns blazing throughout the day. Tempers flared over the weekend because temporary diversions meant motorists could not turn into Stafford Street from Littleton Road in order to get to the town centre.

Instead, they had to use Green Lane, which became heavily congested with traffic backing up way past the Arboretum.

Driver Mike Arnold, aged 44, of Wolverhampton, said frustrated motorists were losing their tempers at the length of time it was taking to get over the junction.

He said: “I was waiting at the Arboretum on Saturday afternoon and the lights must have changed about five times before I got over.

“The problem was cars were getting stuck in the middle and so when the lights change they are blocking the exits for other people and everyone was beeping, it was like something out of the films in Downtown New York.” Mr Arnold said he was not surprised when the chaos erupted into violence.

“It was obvious something was going to give and then I saw these two men get out of their cars and begin taking swings at each other while everyone else just carried on beeping their horns.

“I didn’t see the police, I doubt they would have been able to get through the traffic anyway.”

More problems were expected today as new diversions are put into place around the town centre as part of the multi-million revamp of its roads network.

One end of Hatherton Street is to be closed sending even more traffic up towards the busy junction. The £17m new look Arboretum junction was re-opened last month and has been criticised by drivers who believe it has worsened traffic flow.

Highway chiefs at Walsall Council were unavailable for comment this morning.