Chainsaws used to fell trees along the Hangleton Link Road at night are causing sleepless nights for nearby residents.
Brighton and Hove City Council is removing trees with ash dieback and elm disease within falling distance of the A293 this week and next.
But the council is avoiding closing the road during the day to minimise traffic disruption and instead carrying out the works at night.
This week, noise could be heard from Downs Park and Foredown Tower, lasting into the early hours of the morning.
Complaints from sleepless residents are stacking up on social media. Paul Goodwin said: “When you have to be up at 4.30am and you can’t sleep because you’re woken up at 12.30am, it’s not good.”
Richard Nye said: “We are Hangleton Road and were not able to sleep last night because of it.
“It is not acceptable to carry this work out at this time of night.”
A resident near Downs Park said: “Last night they must have been working at the south end of the link road and the noise was not so bad. Dreading the coming nights.
“Rather dismayed that residents weren’t made aware of how noisy it was going to be. Noise seems to start way past the 8pm start time.”
The north section of the road was closed between 8pm to 5am from Monday, 13 March until Wednesday, 15 March. The southern part of the road is to be shut in sections overnight until 24 March, with diversions in place from 8pm to 5am as the works progress north to south.
Overhanging vegetation is also being targeted.
A council spokesperson said: “We apologise to anyone who has been disturbed by the night-time tree works we’ve been carrying out on the A293 Hangleton Link Road.
“However, we really believe there is no alternative.
“Closing such a strategically important link between Shoreham Port and the A27 during the day would cause huge traffic problems and have a massive impact on the city.”