WORKMEN poured into one end of a city-centre road last week to start work on a resurfacing project residents had been bombarded with details about. But within two hours of white-marking some areas, covering up the drains and closing the road, they had gon

WORKMEN poured into one end of a city-centre road last week to start work on a resurfacing project residents had been bombarded with details about.

But within two hours of white-marking some areas, covering up the drains and closing the road, they had gone again - leaving householders wondering what on earth was going on.

One resident explained that in the summer signs went up in Townsend Drive to say that resurfacing work was going to take place over a one-week period - only for another sign to go up shortly afterwards say that the work had been cancelled.

Then they started to receive glossy leaflets telling them that work was going to start and with a number to contact with any questions - which didn't work.

Early last week signs were painted and leaflets put under car wipers telling people not to park on Thursday when the work was due to be carried out.

A flurry of activity followed at 7.30am on the morning in question, with workmen coming and going and the road closed. But by 9am everything had disappeared and the road was left like a ghost town.

Bewildered

One bewildered resident rang Herts Highways and was told that the work was due to be carried out at the other end of the road and there had been an error.

She said: "We have had a whole week of activity and who knows how much money has been spent on the mismanagement as well as the inconvenience to local residents and people who park on the road.

"It is unbelievable. Why are these people still in a job? I want someone to be answerable for this waste of public money."

A spokesperson for Herts Highways explained that there were three sections in Townsend Drive, split in effect by a private section in the middle of the road.

She went on: "It was only ever intended that the section of Townsend Drive from Batchwood Drive to Little Acre would be resurfaced and Herts Highways sent letters to residents on this part of the road to inform them of the work.

"A couple of days before the work was due to start, the sub-contractors carrying out the work sent their own leaflets to the residents on this stretch of road but they also sent leaflets to people living on the section of Waverley Road to Harpenden Road."

She stressed that the leaflets were produced and delivered by the sub-contractors at their own cost, not at a cost to Herts council taxpayers.

The spokesperson confirmed that the workmen turned up to start work at the wrong end of Townsend Drive last Thursday morning but quickly realised their mistake and moved, completing the resurfacing work at the other end on the same day.

She added: "We apologise for any inconvenience or confusion caused as a result of this.