FRUSTRATION is growing over a set of roadworks at a busy Winsford junction, with a further extension set to see them enter a fifth month.

The work at the Swanlow Lane and Townfields Road junction, which is subject to three-way temporary traffic lights, began in November and was initially set to finish in January.

However, work to widen the road and enable access to a new 128-home housing development nearby was put on hold over the festive season, with finishing dates pushed back to February and now early March.

One Swanlow Lane resident, Edward Robinson, said that the disruption was adding 20 minutes on to journeys at peak times, and doubted that work would be finished in March as anticipated.

Mr Robinson said: “Work stopped in December into the New Year, and this year I don’t think I’ve seen them do four days’ work. I bet your bottom dollar that if I went down now there would be no-one working there.

“The major concern is that that is a main road to Leighton Hospital.

“When I said that to someone at Cheshire West and Chester Council, that people are having to mount the pavements to get out of the way of the ambulances, he said that the emergency services are notified of any roadworks.

“That doesn’t make it any less of a problem – for months they’ve been having to put up with that.”

The work is being carried out on behalf of David Wilson Homes as a condition to its Townfields Road development planning permission.

Residents have also vented frustration on social media, although others were quick to point out they had seen work going on during their commutes.

Winsford Town Council member Cllr Malcolm Gaskill, who pushed for the promised work to start as the housing development took shape, said progress was being made towards a much-improved junction.

He said: “They are progressing, albeit slowly. They took the temporary lights away over Christmas, which was OK. People complained that it would be lights all over Christmas, and so they were taken away.

“They have taken off the corner now. They are there most days and are progressing each day.

“With roadworks, you can only estimate how long it will take. Other parties are involved – they have exposed things like electrics and other utilities and have to wait for them to do their bit.

“Residents will just have to grin and bear it, and trust that it will be much better once it’s finished.”