Millions of tourists heading for the south coast face a summer of gridlocked traffic because of roadworks across Sussex.

Major construction work and repairs are being carried out just as holiday makers and day trippers are planing visits to tourist destinations such as Brighton and Hove, Bognor Regis, Eastbourne and Hastings.

Roadworks across the county include works on the A23 into Brighton, the A24 in Worthing and the B2182 in Bexhill.

Many more minor works are planned on other roads lasting from just days to weeks.

Among the worst hit is Beaconsfield Road, one of the busiest routes into Brighton and Hove, where Southern Water is digging up the road throughout the summer.

About nine million people are expected to visit the city during the tourist season.

Motoring organisations accused planners of bad traffic management for allowing the works from now until August.

Southern Water has warned motorists to expect delays as it installs new pipe systems.

It has just started work to supply the New England Square development at Brighton station, which means laying a pipe under the A23.

The work coincided with the start of Brighton Festival, which pushes up the number of people arriving by car up to 200,000.

The work runs through the late May bank holiday and is due to finish on August 5, one day before the city's Pride celebrations.

This is the second year in a row work will take place on a bank holiday in the city.

Graphic designer Graham Hale, who lives in Beaconsfield Villas near the Southern Water works, said: "It seems mad to do road works that hold up traffic to the point of throttling the city at this time of year. It's certainly not good for tourism."

Tourism workers warned the effect of roadworks could tarnish the city's image as a world-class holiday resort.

Roger Marlowe, president of Brighton and Hove Hotel Association, said: "Ten years ago it may not have mattered but with Gatwick up the road we are having to compete with places like Florence and Paris.

"The last thing we want to do is give people obstacles to get over and drive them away from the city."

Edmund King, the chief executive of the RAC Foundation, said: "One must wonder whether traffic management was a consideration when looking at this work."

A Southern Water spokeswoman said: "We are coordinating with the building work of the New England quarter. It makes sense to do it at the same time rather than disrupt everyone later on. We apologise for any inconvenience."

She said the company had consulted with Brighton and Hove City Council.

A council spokeswoman said: "There is never a perfect time to carry out major roadworks. We work hard with contractors to try to minimise disruption and avoid major events such as conferences and Pride."

Elsewhere in Sussex, roadworks are also scheduled for the summer months.

In Eastbourne works are being carried out by East Sussex County Council highways department at Cavendish Place in Pevensey Road.

In Bognor Regis road safety improvements by West Sussex County Council are causing hold-ups on the main A259 route to Littlehampton.

In Bexhill, Transco is putting in a replacement gas main which is disrupting the busy B2182 Upper Sea Road.

Work began in February and is due to finish in June.

A spokesman for West Sussex County Council, which is carrying out the maintenance works in Worthing and Bognor, said: "Most of our work is of a short duration and we go out of our way to avoid carrying out roadworks that inconvenience motorists wanting to take advantage of the attractions in West Sussex."

A spokeswoman from East Sussex County Council said: "Unfortunately roadworks inevitably cause delay and disruption but they are essential even in the summer months.

"We try to plan and coordinate all the different groups to minimise the inconvenience."