An Abbots Langley councillor has hit out at Hertfordshire County Council for delays in resurfacing the High Street.

Liberal Democrat County Councillor Sara Bedford had initially arranged for the busiest part of the High Street to be resurfaced, with additional improvements to drainage.

She was given a date for work to begin on November 21, but when the date came there was no evidence of the work having started. 

She contacted county council highways engineers, Ringway, to find out the reason for the delay.

Councillor Bedford said: "I was told there had been a 'communication mess-up'. The road closure order had been obtained and other paperwork completed, but no one had actually got around to booking the work in with the workforce.

"Residents and shopkeepers had been looking forward to this work going ahead before the winter weather, but it now seems this will not happen."

The "communication mess-up" follows the County Council's secret cancellation of 142 highways repairs, which had orginally been planned for this year, after it was revealed the council were on course to overspend their budget - the new work would have cost another £3m taking them further into deficit.

This was brought to light by Liberal Democrat Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst. 

Councillor Bedford added: "It appears the County Council are still letting down residents who just want decent roads and pavements. It's a total shambles."

Kevin Carrol, Ringway Divisional Manager, working on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council, said: "There appears to have been a misunderstanding about when the works would begin. Any dates written on traffic orders are not official start dates, as these traffic orders are valid for an 18 month period. 

"The dates on this traffic order were when we had initially hoped to start but we would not start work on a busy High Street, especially in the run-up to Christmas, without first liasing with the relevant council departments and informing those who will be affected by the work. 

"We are currently in the process of agreeing a start date which we will publicise and do apologise for any confusion caused."