Contractors had already been forced to repeat resurfacing work on a busy shopping street after using the wrong kind of tar.

So traders in Western Road, Brighton, were less than impressed when workmen began to dig up part of the road just days after work had finished - this time because of a gas leak.

Brighton and Hove City Council contractors completed their work earlier this month.

The road was resurfaced after improvements, including the removal of three speed humps.

Temporary traffic lights were in place for several days longer than expected because Tarmac had no choice but to replace the base that had been laid by mistake.

The company apologised to nearby businesses for the delay.

But at the end of last week, the lights were back in action so Transco could dig up the road again.

The company said a gas leak had been reported late on Thursday and repaired on Friday. The traffic lights have now been removed after engineers checked no gas was leaking from the pipeline.

A spokeswoman said: "Transco apologise for any inconvenience but safety is our priority and gas leaks need to be sorted out as soon as possible."

It is the latest in a string of delays to the completion of the roadworks, which traders say has dragged on longer than it should have done.

Rob Allen, supervisor in Legends Board Riders, said: "We have been whingeing about this for weeks. It seemed to take them a long time.

"I'm sure they could quite easily do it in a couple of weeks."

Manager Ben Hayes said: "There is also a new bit of kerb jutting out and I think it is the wrong size because already it's crumbling from buses going over it.

"I don't see how it is going to improve the situation. It has made us lose quite a lot of business."

Cassie Gordon and Beccy Ward, who are running the Calendar Club shop to earn money so they can go travelling, said it had been extremely noisy.

Miss Gordon said: "The smell has been horrible. There has been gas today and before that there was tarmac.

"We will be really glad when they are finished.

"We are working seven days a week at the moment and you come to work every day thinking you are going to have a permanent headache from all the noise and drilling."

Miss Ward said: "It has been a nightmare. It stinks but at least it looks better now."

The road was fully open again yesterday but a small hole remained to be filled and resurfaced.

Tuesday November 25, 2003