Delays in completing reconstruction work in a Co Antrim town's main shopping street are causing headaches.

Traders on Ballyclare's Main Street were faced with more problems last week as work on the new footpath scheme was delayed due to kerbstones not having arrived.

The street had been reopened to traffic travelling in the direction of The Square, but parking spaces were extremely limited and people were complaining about difficulty with access to premises in this vicinity.

Businesses owners were angry at this latest turn of events and said that the delay was unacceptable as the street has been lying for a week and a half with no work done at all.

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The reason was because while five containers of flagstones had been delivered, the kerbs need to go into place first before the flags could be laid.

One trader told the local Ballyclare Gazette: "This is a complete and utter shambles. We are really suffering as a result of this. The footpaths have just been left dug up and are a mess, many of the people who have actually braved it and made their way into my business told me that they were afraid of falling on the rubble and that it was with great difficulty that they actually made their way down."

Local Councillor Alderman Paul Girvan also expressed his concerns regarding the delay.

"Apparently the kerbs were supposed to be being sent down last week and were expected to arrive by the weekend, hopefully this has been the case and we can proceed without any further delays.

"It has been a trying time for traders down on that side of the street, they have only ramps allowing access to their premises and I know it has been extremely difficult for customers getting in and out.

"This seems to be the problem of starting a project when you don't have everything at hand."

Work resumed this week, after the delays, but still left traders unhappy what they said was unnecessary disruption.

(BMcC/GK)