DRIVERS are set to face more delays as the planned work on Thamesdown Drive runs over deadline.

Despite the sunny start to the week, the council has said that work has been delayed as damp weather has meant the surface could not be laid.

The off-peak roadworks had been expected to finish by the end of today but the work is now likely to continue into the start of next week.

The roadworks had already been pushed back as a result of a burst water main at the Bruce Street Bridges and, despite the extension, no work will be carried out over the weekend.

A council spokesman said: “Off-peak work to resurface part of Thamesdown Drive will continue into the early part of next week due to delays caused by damp weather.

“The asphalt coating being used to resurface the road has to be applied when the surface is dry, and rain showers have delayed the work.

“Letters sent to residents made it clear that the planned schedule depended on the weather.

“The re-scheduled work, which will be carried out between 9.30am and 3.30pm, is not expected to last beyond Tuesday if conditions are favourable.

“No work will be carried out over the weekend.”

The spokesman said the council had received a handful of complaints about the work and some drivers were frustrated by the delays but accepted that the work needed to be done.

Tina Dickinson, 32, of Oakhurst, said: “I am a bit surprised to hear the work has been delayed by the weather, considering it has been quite nice apart from today.

“I understand the roadworks need to be done at some point and whenever they are done they will affect somebody.

“The traffic has been quite a bit heavier than normal but that is to be expected.”

Lorna Thompson, 28, of Redhouse, said: “In an ideal world it would have been done when they said it would be but we know that doesn’t happen.”

Another woman, who wanted to remain anonymous, contacted the Advertiser to complain about the delays.

“It took me more than an hour to get from Oakhurst to Taw Hill surgery,” she said. “It was chaos on Thamesdown Drive. I tried to take the diversion route but it’s not signposted properly and the streets are like a maze.

“There are meant to be road marshals but there was no one about. The traffic was so busy that I couldn’t stop to ask for directions either.

“When I phoned the council I was told residents were given warning about the work but I live in Oakhurst and there was nothing put through my door.”

The council said that for a very short period of time yesterday they were one traffic marshal short as they were organising a diversion route for some residents who were struggling to navigate around their estate.