Sunday works anger traders and residents

Mr Martin claims that work was carried out without prior notification given to residents or local businesses.

Councillor Martin claimed that as well as complaining of the associated noise pollution, residents and businesses could not gain access to their properties when workmen laid down cables.

“Not only were residents living along Bachelors Walk blatantly blocked from accessing their properties from the road, little effort was made to accommodate their reasonable requests for access,” he claimed.

“Despite representations made on the day, there appears to have been a total disregard for their concerns.

“There was no signage to explain for what purpose the works were carried out and no-one of authority was on site to explain to local residents how long the works were to take.

“The impact on local business was also completely unacceptable.

“I am bewildered why notification could not have been given to allow those likely to be affected the opportunity to make alternative arrangements where they were able.”

Business owner Sam Robinson, owner of Pizzarelly’s, said that the first he was aware of the work was when he arrived at 9.30am on the morning .

“Sunday is one of our busy days and when I arrived at 9.30am the whole place was cordoned off,” he said.

“Lorries and bollards were everywhere. I could not believe my eyes.

“I was not told the work was being carried out.

“I had to park my car at Modern Tyres and was then blocked in. I could not get out.

“I asked the workmen what they were doing but they did not seem to care.

“The guy said that he did not know until that morning that he was doing the job.

“The residents were out complaining too about the noise and their cars were blocked in.

“Lorries and bollards were all over the place.

“I could not get an answer as to when they were finishing or anything.

“I was eventually told that they would be completed for lunchtime...but it was well into the afternoon before they finished.

“Sunday is one of our busy days.

“We were not given letters or notification, nothing.

“How am I expected to run a business if I could not get into it?

“We get trade from church goers and if they drive past and cannot park they will just drive on; people do not like to walk.”

The Ulster Star attempted to find out who was responsible for carrying out the work but despite our best efforts - eliminating Lisburn City Council, BT and the DRD, all of whom denied any knowledge of the works - we were unable to do so.