CONTRACTORS on Rmosey's controversial Church Street revamp say they are still on target to finish on time, despite the weather.

They say that wet weather has not stopped work aimed at making the street more pedestrian-friendly.

Colas spokesperson Linzi Stean said: "Currently we are not experiencing any difficulties and despite the weather we are still aiming to finish the project within the 14 weeks we allowed fro the work.

"Our guys are currently laying new slabs outside Test Valley Borough Council's offices and we are then hoping to get on and do some grouting work on the slabs. They are also doing some drainage work and sorting the planters out there."

Miss Stean added that Colas has now installed signage letting shoppers know that Church Street is open for business as normal while the £500,000 improvement scheme which started at the beginning of this month (August) is carried out.

"We are not aware of any issues with traders and we are trying to do all we can to help them while the work is being done. I've had a chat with people and they told me that they were happy with the way things are going," said Miss Stean.

Before the work started some traders feared shoppers might be put off from using Church Street while it is given a facelift and a few expressed concerns about possible loss of revenue.

Deputy manager of Oasis Christian Centre, Heather Wilman was one of them.

She said: "It is still early days yet. Trade has been affected slightly, but some of this might be due to the wet weather. Customers are still coming through the door."

The work which is the first phase of a multi-million pound scheme to enhance three town centre streets includes installing a buff coloured shared surface for pedestrians and motorists and putting in pinch points at the junction of Church Street with the Market Place and outside the borough council's offices opposite Abbey Walk.

And existing footways in Church Street will be widened and kerbing embedded into the road surface will separate vehicles from pedestrians.

In pedestrian areas yellowstone kerbing will be laid and new street furniture including bollards will be installed along with a pedestrian barrier where Abbey Walk joins Church Street to prevent children running into the road. Slopes will also be build into the road surface at the start and finish of the shared surface area.