A Winchester City councillor this week accused contractors of prolonging the agony for Winchester motorists by not meeting their end of the bargain with roadworks.

Barry Lipscomb told a council transport and access committee that contractors "did not exactly throw people" at projects.

He added: "There's a lot of annoyance caused to people over this. Generally speaking, there's a tendency for contractors to under-employ."

Ian Bidgood, also on the committee, even asked whether it would be possible to fine slow contractors.

But Winchester's director of development services, Steve Bee, said it was the city council's job to "kick the contractors on behalf of the client - Hampshire County Council".

Officer, Alan Gutteridge, said that it would be dangerous to have too many people working on roadwork schemes in Stockbridge Road and Stoney Lane, Winchester.

Talking about the Stockbridge Road works, which has caused huge traffic jams across the city, Mr Gutteridge said: "We'll end up about a week late than anticipated, which for a project of this size - about £500,000 - is not too bad."

He said the curbs and pavements in Andover Road were finished, but work on bus shelters and traffic signals at the busy junction was still not completed.

December 13th was given as a final completion date, but Mr Gutteridge warned: "It does depend very much on how the contractors perform."

One trader in the Stockbridge Road has said that the roadworks threatened to put him out of business, and drivers in the city are anxious to see the project finished.

Mr Gutteridge said the Stoney Lane development was running three to four weeks behind, "mainly because of additional problems with utility companies".

He said three safety tests had been made on the site so far and added that the work was due for completion this week.