ROADWORKS are causing chaos in Great Sankey with Liverpool Road reduced to one lane and Station Road and St Mary's Road closed completely.

Work started three weeks ago on A57 Liverpool Road to allow gas works to be carried out with closures starting to affect the other two roads from last Friday.

Great Sankey resident Gareth Dunning, news editor of the Warrington Guardian, feels the traffic disruption could have been minimised if the works had been better organised.

"Nobody is questioning whether the work needs to be done," Mr Dunning said.

"But Station Road was closed off on Friday afternoon with no work being started there by Monday morning.

"Temporary traffic lights were brought in on Liverpool Road causing chaos on Friday and queues all weekend yet again, no work was done during the weekend - simply a big hole left in the road.

"And why can't the authorities co-ordinate their work?

"St Mary's Road was closed two months ago for work and now it is closed again. It is nonsense."

The works are expected to last for a further three weeks and traders along Liverpool Road feel aggrieved at the disruption which they believe will affect business.

One shop worker said: "This will really affect our trade.

"Who will bother to come all this way to shop?

"The road is due to be closed for two weeks, so you can imagine what will happen."

Jeanette Unsworth, of National Grid, said the works are taking place to replace 2.5km of metal gas mains with plastic pipes, which have an 80 year lifespan.

She said: "All the work is co-ordinated with Warrington highways and we have to give advance notice of work we intend to carry out.

"We realise we are causing inconvenience but if people want to rely on safe and reliable gas mains this work needs to be done."

Businesses can check to see if they qualify for compensation for loss of trade by calling 0161 703 1010.