RESIDENTS in a Wirral street are fuming after their road was resurfaced by the council and then dug up for gas works in the same week.

Village Road in Oxton was dug up on Thursday by a national gas network after it was found work was needed to renew the mains, and will go on until next week.

That came despite Wirral council having just carried out works to resurface or "dress" the road on August 17 – less than a week earlier.

According to ward member for Oxton, Cllr Allan Brame, the council was initially asked to delay its scheme by a week or two until the works being carried out by Balfour Beatty on behalf of Cadent Gas were complete.

But they were told the council "was committed to a contract", and resurfacing went ahead regardless.

The time and materials of the work would have to be paid for whether the work was carried out or not, they were reportedly told.

Lib Dem Cllr Brame called the situation a "fiasco", adding: "Residents are quite understandably furious at this waste of money – just days after Village Road was 'dressed', it was duly undressed.

"We have been assured that Cadent will be responsible for reinstating the excavations and they can be given a further dressing next summer – hopefully paid for by Cadent.

"Perhaps when such work is taken back 'in house' by the council, such nonsense can be avoided. But we are not holding our breath."

According to fellow ward Councillor Stuart Kelly, he initially contacted the local authority to make sure they were aware of the clash, writing: "This is going to look crazy, resurfacing then digging up again within a week.

"Wouldn't it be better to do it after it's been dug up?"

The gas mains works mean parts of the road are subject to closures in both directions for motorists, with diversions in force.

On Tuesday, a council spokesman said: "We make every effort to ensure that planned road works, either by ourselves or partner organisations such as the utility companies, are carried out in a co-ordinated way to ensure minimal disruption to residents.

"We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the roadworks at this location, but we can assure local people that, when they are completed, the road surface will be fully repaired."

A spokesman for Cadent, which is expected to finish the work by September 4, said: "We're upgrading the gas pipes under Village Road, as part of a country-wide programme to upgrade metallic mains.

"We applied to Wirral council in May for a permit to carry out this work between August 9 and September 6.

"This was granted and our work is now under way in Village Road.

"As routine, it will end with us reinstating the road to good order."