ONGOING roadworks are causing traffic disruption, angering residents as well as concerning businesses.

Chester Road in Flint has been subjected to carriageway maintenance since October 1, affecting the A548 with a one-way system from the entrance to the town which carries on through Oakenholt.

Video and images by Beth Hughes

Flintshire Council has estimated the end date will be Remembrance Sunday on November 11, but according to Andrew Loveridge, Flint Town Council clerk, November 11 will only mark the end date of the first phase of the road works, and will therefore affect the World War One centenary parade.

He said: "I don't think the roadworks will finish on Remembrance Sunday. It's nothing to worry about but unfortunately the barrier will still be in place then. There will be a rolling road closure with people at junctions so traffic does not get caught up in the parade."

Mr Loveridge said there will be a police car with blue lights leading the parade, and at the back of the parade, a fire engine or vehicle from the coastguard will follow.

According to residents and shoppers, the Chester Road westbound carriageway closure has been a "nightmare" for motorists, including parents at rush hour, and has had an unforeseen adverse affect on businesses located on the closed lane.

Traffic cones have been set up while the road resurfacing takes place, keeping drivers from stopping and pulling up outside independent establishments such as corner shops, newsagents, barbers, and takeaways.

The Leader took to the streets of Flint to gauge what locals had to say about the works.

Rebecca Winnard said: "The roadworks are affecting buses, particularly at rush hour. I just use the train quite a lot now. Roadworks seem to be a permanent feature on the bottom road."

Valerie Nevitt, who daily attends the Poppy Appeal stall at Sainsbury's Flint, said the roadworks have been taking her at least 30 minutes longer to reach the store each day.

She said: "It's shocking in Flint. It takes about an hour to do the school run because you have to leave at least 45 minutes earlier and unless you can walk up to the Gwynedd school, but for those that can't walk, they have a nightmare.

"From about 4.30pm until about 8pm, if an emergency service vehicle needed to get down there, they can't."

Phil James said: "It just looked poorly planned, causing a lot of annoying bottleneck traffic and I wasn't expecting them to extend the one way system when they did. So it was annoying going around in circles until I could find a road that has access to Oakenholt. We just had a baby, and the hospital was near Rhyl, so it's a good job we had the baby before the roadworks just in case we did have any emergencies. The Albert Street one way system would most certainly trap an emergency vehicle given it has parked cars either side."

Businesses also said they have lost customers due to the works. Shamal Dora, owner of Flint Polski Sklep, said business has been affected a lot after receiving the letter stating that major roadworks would take place outside the property. He said a lot of people who were in a rush would park outside and go into the shop but this has ceased over the past three weeks.

Rawz Mustafa, owner of a newsagents which has been blocked off by traffic cones, said: "There are less customers coming in. It's been going on for nearly three weeks and we are losing business. We are scared of what the future will bring because for over the last three weeks customers can't leave their car outside and come in."

Steve Jones, Chief Officer Streetscene and Transportation said: "Flintshire County Council is carrying out resurfacing works on the concrete carriageway at A548 Chester Road in Flint. To facilitate the works a temporary one way restriction is in place prohibiting vehicles from travelling towards Oakenholt from Flint, from its junction with Church Street.

"The works are being undertaken in two phases, to lessen the impact the scheme has on the town. Phase one involves repairing and replacing sections of the concrete up to Borough Grove, phase two up to Albert Avenue, including the phase of the works outside Croes Atti school, which has been programmed to take place during the half term. Following this the road will be overlaid.

"During phase two, the restriction has remained in place from Church Street to ensure vehicles travelling through Flint follow the designated diversion routes. The use of temporary traffic lights to carry out phase two would not be feasible, due to the length of work site required to undertake these essential works."