A RETIRED construction worker fears that someone could be killed as pedestrians are forced to walk along a busy Ardrossan road to avoid flooding, which is thought to be caused by recent development works.
Alex Logan, who lives in Ardrossan, says that the large puddle at the junction of Montgomerie Street and Glasgow Street has been caused by recent construction works, which he believes have been carried out poorly.
He told the Herald: “It’s a main road and people are having to step on to it because of all the water.
“The entrance to Montgomerie Street is all flooded. Someone’s going to get killed.
“The guys putting in the lamposts along Glasgow Street clearly don’t have a clue what they’re doing. When they put in the lamposts in, they swept the concrete into the drain and it’s all solidified so when it rains the water can’t get away. I’ve worked in construction all my days and I can see that they’ve made a real mess of it.
“They’ve not finished the mono-blocking and it’s all piled up at the side.
“The mono-blocking that they’ve put down when they laid the cable is all uneven, it’s terrible. And it’s the community that’s paying for this.”
Alex claims that the puddle has been a main topic of conversation in his local pub Charlie’s Bar, which is situated on Glasgow Street directly across from the flooded junction.
The Herald spoke to a punter at Charlie’s Bar, known as James, who said: “People can’t cross without stepping onto the road so if there are cars coming, then that’s a health and safety issue. It’s really dangerous.
“I’m concerned about people with wheelchairs, walking sticks and walkers because they’ve got to go on to the road to get by this huge puddle but if a car comes then they won’t be fast enough to move out the way.”
A member of staff at Charlie’s Bar added: “When you open the door you can see that it’s all flooded. It’s really, really bad.”
When the Herald approached North Ayrshire Council, a spokesperson said: “The council are taking the necessary steps to address the issue with water and have also instructed the contractor to address any spoil which may have entered the drainage system. We will monitor this to determine if additional actions are required.
“All our sites are subject to regular inspections and our officers will ensure contractors make the site tidy and safe for pedestrians and road users while work takes place.
“While the site is ongoing, any mono-block or other site materials should be safely stored and this has been addressed by the contractor.
“We will carry out a final inspection to ensure the work carried out is to our satisfaction.”
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