Trains run late as motorists brace for more roadworks

While motorists prepare for the latest road closures tipped to create headaches on Adelaide streets, recent figures show the city's train network is running late.

Figures from the Transport Department show more than 15 per cent of trains were running late last quarter.

Fare evasion has also gone through the roof, with more than a quarter of train users failing to pay for a ticket.

Shadow Transport Minister Vickie Chapman said the poor level of service would drive even more people away from public transport.

“It is no wonder public transport usage has dropped by three million boardings in the past two years,” Ms Chapman said.

“There is a culture of fare evasion that needs to be changed.”

It comes as Adelaide motorists are urged to avoid Victoria Square with new road closures set to cause peak hour traffic chaos.

The road connecting Wakefield and Grote Sts through the centre of Victoria Square is being closed to allow works as part of the $28 million upgrade of the square.

It is set to re-open to traffic on October 11.

Trams will not be affected and buses have been given a priority U-turn lane, but motorists will have to find another route.

“It takes some time for some motorists to remember that and so the first few days is always the telling time, but after that things start to calm down,” project director Tom Playford said.

You can check how the roads are looking before your drive to work using our [traffic update|http://au.news.yahoo.com/sa/traffic/].