CARLETON shop owners are worried that gas works in the town centre are seriously affecting their trade.

While Transco workers replace the gas main on Poulton Road, barriers and cones have been put up and traffic diversions are in place.

Vanessa Morgan who owns Kabuki ladieswear on Poulton Road says that her business is suffering because customers think that shops in the area are closed.

"People don't realise that they can still get here because of all the roadworks. You can't even get to this road because of traffic diversions and I suppose no-one wants to sit in that traffic -- it's murder."

Transco project manager Roy Peary said: "We have had a few complaints from shopkeepers in Poulton Road about trade lost as a result of the traffic diversions we have put in place. These businesses are open as usual and we have put up signs to this effect at either end of our roadworks."

Transco say that they are now working weekends to finish the work as quickly as possible. They are hoping that the £300,000 job will be finished two weeks ahead of schedule.

Mr Peary added: "We know that roadworks cause disruption but we have a duty to provide a safe and reliable gas supply network. We are replacing a length of iron main with plastic pipe which has a far longer lifespan so the chances of us returning to dig up the road again in the future will be greatly reduced."

But this is of little comfort to local traders, who can expect work to continue early into next year.

Chris Gleave of Gleaves Newsagents in Carleton says that it's affecting the trade quite badly.

"People are avoiding Carleton like the plague even though shops are open as usual. We've been given a potential finish date of seven months. To have it dragged on like this is ludicrous."

Councillor Francis Ghandi says that the council is not in a position to influence Transco. "I have been to all of the shops and I sympathise with them....if there was something I could have done I would have done it."