The Tankersley roundabout, at the junction of the A616 and A61, near Tankersley, in Barnsley, was resurfaced and repainted in mid-September at a cost of £140,000.

But motorists have struggled to get to grips with the altered system, which directs drivers going straight ahead into the right-hand lane rather than to the more usual left.

The roundabout, which carries thousands of vehicles an hour, mainly from the north of Sheffield, has been monitored by police and council specialists since the work took place.

According to Barnsley Council engineers, many motorists have simply ignored the new rules and continued to use the road as they always have, causing safety problems.

Barnsley Council assistant director, highways and engineering Darren Richardson said: "The new arrangements have been monitored and this has highlighted the need for some amendments.

"The local highways authorities of Barnsley and Sheffield, along with South Yorkshire Police road safety team, are working with the Highways Agency to put in place revisions that will hopefully alleviate the concerns."

The Highways Agency admitted yesterday that work was on to rectify the problems caused by the original project, which was supposed to improve safety.

The spokesman said: "The Highways Agency carried out resurfacing works and lane marking modifications to the A61/A616 Tankersley roundabout and its approaches in September with the aim of improving traffic flows and safety in the area.

"As a result of feedback from members of the public and local authorities, some amendments to the lane markings have been identified, without compromising the original benefits of the scheme. These amendments to ease the traffic queues on the approaches to the roundabout are currently under way.

"The Highways Agency is currently in discussion with its contractors about any additional costs incurred as a result of this work."