South Wales Evening Post - 2 September 2006
Work to create a new one-way system in The Kingsway will finish in November - but will start again in 2007, it emerged today. Shop owners had been promised that efforts to create the new one-way system would be completed in time for the festive period.
Although contractors will stop their work on November 20, Swansea Council has admitted they will have to return in the new year to put the finishing touches in place.
Traders in Swansea city centre are now begging visitors to use them for their Christmas shopping or risk losing them for good.
They are pleading with customers to start using them for their seasonal gifts before the work is finished in November.
The latest hold-up has come about after it emerged additional work is needed to sewers buried deep beneath the Dragon Hotel roundabout.
Despite the delay, council bosses have assured traders and shoppers that busy Christmas and new year shopping will not be plunged into chaos.
Instead, contractors will leave the site on the deadline date and return in January to complete the job.
Denise Road, chairwoman of JT Morgan, said November was still too late to catch many potential Christmas shoppers.
"Whoever decided to finish the work for December was clearly a man," she added.
"Only men do their Christmas shopping in December - the women who use us do their present buying in September and October.
"If people want to help us recover, they need to start using us now.
"Unlike the nationals, every pound spent in a local shop will stay in Swansea.
"Don't let us pay the price for what the council is doing."
A council spokesman insisted the project, part of a £10 million road improvement scheme ahead of the introduction of the Swansea Metro, was going to plan.
"Work is progressing well on the scheme along The Kingsway," he added.
"Following discussions with Welsh Water, additional work is required to the sewers beneath the Dragon Hotel roundabout.
"Any work which is not completed by November 20 will be completed in the new year."
One Swansea resident, who did not want to be named, added: "I noticed they seemed to be behind with the work. I drive there day in, day out. It's horrendous."
