Traders in an east Perthshire town are claiming they were not consulted about planned roadworks which were set to disrupt business during the festive season.
Perth and Kinross Council have been forced into U-turn on altering the traffic layout in the Wellmeadow area of Blairgowrie due to the furious reaction of local businesses, with work now set to start again in the new year.
The council trialled a change to the traffic lights in Wellmeadow in June.
However many traders are claiming they were never consulted when the local authority initially proposed the timing of the roadworks, which were due to begin last Monday.
As a result there is a call for better communication from the council regarding the situation.
Anna Bowman, president of the Blairgowrie and Rattray Business Association, criticised the council for their apparent lack of consultation over the original plan to carry out the roadworks over Christmas.
“To arrange roadworks in the town centre in the lead-up to Christmas without consulting anybody in the town is an insult to town centre retailers, businesses and residents,” she said.
“While everyone welcomes the decision to delay the roadworks, this is a situation that should never have arisen. The Business Association, the community council and Discover Blairgowrie are all active organisations in the town the lines of communication are there to be used.”
Local councillor Caroline Shiers was equally scathing.
“I would like the opportunity for community consultation on the final location of all the crossing points so we can ensure everyone knows what is happening,” she said.
“I am pleased that the works are being postponed until the new year. November and December shopping is crucial to our town centre retailers and given the disruption experienced in previous years, in my opinion and that of business people I have spoken to, it would be a huge mistake to have carried out the work in this period.”
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “Following approaches from the business community in Blairgowrie, the works due to start on November 2 have been postponed until early 2016.
“The works were to involve the removal of the existing traffic signal junction and make permanent the pedestrian crossing facilities on each major approach of the Wellmeadow, and associated miscellaneous works to finalise the current trial arrangements which has been widely welcomed in the town.”
The traffic lights in the Wellmeadow were taken away in June after a two-week switch-off trial.
Local residents had concerns that the lights were leading to tailbacks and lengthy delays for motorists.
Vandals recently removed the mobile pedestrian lights and tossed them into the River Ericht.