Brace yourselves

Bispham ward councillor Donald Clapham says locals fear that a double whammy of sea defence and tram track repair work will bring chaos to the area just as holidaymakers should be flooding in.

Work began again on the Red Bank Road sea defence project about three weeks ago, as construction company Harbour and General Works took over from former contractors Christiani and Neilsen, who ran into financial problems late last year.

The work should have been completed by Easter, but will now run well into the summer season because of the delay caused by the company's collapse.

Coun Clapham said: "The contractors who are taking up the sea wall work are not now going to finish until August, which is really disappointing.

"We were promised that the project completion was going to be before the season started. It's really upset the apple cart in Bispham."

He said holidaymakers could be put off staying. "Last year was bad enough. If you are going to choose somewhere to stay, why stay where there is incomplete work, lorries going in and out and all the rest of it?

"It will affect businesses. We have got some good business people and some sound businesses and they are going to suffer along with everyone else."

And he said planned tram track repairs are also a concern. "It will keep the trams in a good state of working order for a long time. But again, it does add to problems."

Commenting on the sea defences, a council spokesman confirmed the new contractors had restarted the work and are scheduled to work through the season until August.

Regarding the tramway repairs, Brian Vaughan, mechanical services engineer for the council, denied the new programme of tram track work at Bispham will cause summer season problems.

He said the Bispham repairs will take place after the Illuminations, although some slight disruption could be caused by point work at Norbreck in April.

CHAOS FEARS: Coun Donald Clapham by the sea defence work