Truro’s Kenwyn Street remained quiet last week despite the threat of extensive roadworks to upgrade underground gas pipes.

The street was due to be closed to traffic between the junctions of Little Castle Street and City Road from Thursday. However, work had yet to start this afternoon.

Matthew Hurst of Three Rivers Furniture on Kenwyn Street said: “A Wales and West supervisor turned up on Thursday morning with a load of equipment. Nothing happened. They said, ‘oh, it’ll start on Monday,’ and went away again.

“Today, I drove the wrong way down the street for access, as advised to do, only to see nothing happening.

“I’m past letting it bug me because I can’t control it. But given the letter said work would start on January 2, it would’ve been nice for it to have done so – or to have had communication as to why it hadn’t.”

He added: “If they aren’t starting on time, how can they expect to finish on time?”

Wales & West Utilities programme controller Abby Smith confirmed that work is due to start tomorrow, with delays caused by “a number of illnesses within our engineering team”, and that roads had been kept open in the meantime.

She continued: “We’re sorry for this short delay and for any inconvenience our works may cause. We know working on busy roads like this is not ideal, but the work is essential to upgrade the network and to keep the gas flowing safely.

“Barring any further unforeseen circumstances, we expect to complete our work in these areas in early March.”

From January 20 to February 20, Kenwyn Street will be closed from the junction of Little Castle Street to the junction of Bosvigo Road, with City Road closed between Kenwyn Street and Calenick Street.

Wales & West Utilities’s customer service team can be contacted on freephone 0800 912 2999.