Traders are worried that a city centre scheme to deliver a new £13.5m bus interchange and pedestrian-friendly Frodsham Street could be late.

Cheshire West and Chester Council is unwilling to confirm the already delayed Frodsham Street project will be finished by its internal target date of March 8 but insists it is still on schedule for 'an early March' launch.

And the linked bus interchange at Gorse Stacks, which was supposed to be ready at the same time, could be handed over at the end of March but won’t be operational according to the CWaC press team.

Work to make Frodsham Street pedestrian-friendly looks likely to be delayed.

For safety reasons Frodsham Street has had to be closed to traffic during the construction phase with barriers in place to protect pedestrians. Originally the street should have been ready by December but a granite setts supplier went into liquidation causing an initial delay.

Businesses have been hit by the down-turn in trade.

And frustrated traders are now hearing from contractors that the street may not be finished until April.

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Councillor Karen Shore, cabinet member for the environment, insists the new-look Frodsham Street is on course for an early March launch.

She said in a statement: “The Frodsham Street works are part of the wider bus interchange project; the street is being resurfaced using high quality materials to provide an attractive, user-friendly link to the city centre for pedestrians.

“The southern end of Frodsham Street has been repaved and is waiting for the final carriageway resurfacing. The paving work in this location was completed just after Christmas, we have cleared the site to open up the road to two way traffic while work takes place on the northern end of the street.

Work to make Frodsham Street pedestrian-friendly looks likely to be delayed.

“Work is continuing between the former Yates and the Claire House Hospice shop where the new paving is being laid and the granite edging installed. Drainage works are also being carried out with new gullies being installed.

“The final carriageway resurfacing will take place in early March, it will be carried out in two halves, with some work done overnight due to access issues. Once the road is resurfaced the new street furniture will be installed.

“When the temporary ramps have been removed and the road resurfaced, big changes will be seen in the street. Work is still on schedule for completion in early March.”