New bins plan sees Wolverhampton city centre footpath dug up months after laid down

Workmen caused disruption yet again in Queen Street, where work has been ongoing for almost a year.

And the street – a key link-road between the city centre and the bus and train stations – will be closed to traffic next week for yet more roadworks.

Contractors were supposed to put in the bins when the pavement was relaid earlier this year.

But the bins weren't delivered on time, meaning the pavement had had to be dug up again now for them to be installed.

However Wolverhampton City Council said the current work - which yesterday saw workmen start as early as 7.30am - was being done at no extra cost to the local authority.

The work is part of a raft of improvements aimed at transforming the city centre.

It had been due to be completed within two years but bosses revealed earlier this year that it would take place in phases.

The current work is costing £1.6m and includes widening the Queen Street pavements and remodelling Princess Street to include a cycle route.

Bal Sindu, from Lifestyle Express Smoke and Wine in Queen Street, said the ongoing work had proved to be a problem for traders in recent months.

Takings were down up to 50 per cent when work was being done outside his shop.

Mr Sindu said: "It's been going on for almost a year in total and when they were outside the shop it was a big problem.

"The council originally told us it would all be finished by last Easter.

"That's obviously not now the case, but we haven't heard a thing from them.

"All we get is information from word of mouth.

"Some of the traders have been badly affected."

Next week's work will see Queen Street closed to motorists, with buses being diverted down Tower Street, Market Street and Bilston Street.

The road will be resurfaced as part of the work.

Tory opposition leader Councillor Wendy Thompson criticised the council for the whole project taking so long to be completed.

"They should have been far more organised with this," she said.

"I feel very sorry for businesses in Queen Street, which is a very historic street in Wolverhampton.

"When is this council going to realise that running a business is not easy and they need all the help they can get?

"These hurdles should not be there - that's the biggest message for Wolverhampton.

"We need to be far more supportive. Unless this council gets its act together over things like this then it'll do nothing to help unemployment and the economy."

Council spokesman Tim Clark said: "Bins were ordered by council at start of scheme but were not delivered on time by the contractor.

"Rather than leaving Queen Street with no bins, or leaving the job unfinished, we took the view to leave the old bins in place and do the paving work.

"It's a busy city centre street and we wouldn't have left it without any bins.

"Now that we've got the new bins they're now going in."

Queen Street traders have endured a series of problems in recent years.

In 2010 they lost income when old bus station was closed to eventually make way for a new £22.5m one.

A year later several businesses were badly affected by the riots that engulfed the city, with some shop fronts badly damaged and others raided of goods.

And for the past 10 months roadworks have been ongoing down the street.