WORK on improving Hard Ings Road will not be complete until at least this autumn, says Bradford Council.

Widening of the road and associated work has been delayed for at least four months later than the originally-expected May 2020 finish date.

The council says the delay has not been caused by coronavirus, although it admits the pandemic could also affect contractors' progress on the road.

The latest delays – blamed on complications with underground work – have been blasted by one boss already facing huge losses because customers cannot easily reach his businesses.

Nick Berard, who runs Sagar Glass and Phillipe's Curtains and Upholstery, said: "The council told me it would be September before work finished. This could possibly run us of out of business."

Mr Berard's businesses units are on Lawkholme Lane, near its junction with Hard Ings Road, which has been closed for the duration of construction work.

He said he had suffered a massive drop in trade since work began in May last year, forcing him to start an online sales service, Stoneglass, to help generate extra income.

He added: "The road being closed reduced walk-in trade by at least 90%. We don't open the shop anymore. We do not get any footfall from customers.

"Now it's going to be September before work finishes. The council shouldn't be able to get away with it."

As a direct result of Covid-19 Mr Berard recently started a second new service, insulating conservatories for older people who are self-isolating for three months and want somewhere nice to sit looking at the scenery.

A Bradford Council spokesman said work on the Hard Ings Road site was continuing and has not been put on hold.

She added: "The scheme is going to take longer than we envisaged because of the complexity of public utility diversions (services including water, gas, electricity and phone lines) which we have had to carry out to enable the road to be widened.

Another factor has been the discovery of previous construction work and concrete uncovered during excavation work. These issues will mean that the work will not be completed until autumn 2020.

“The coronavirus is also going to have an impact our work so, while we are working to maintain  ‘business as usual’, the changing situation could also impact on our work.”

One such impact of been the cancellation of a week of night-time road closures on the A629 planned for March 30.

Howard Civil Engineering, the contractors carrying out the Hard Ings Road improvements, reveal the cancellation in its regular newsletter update to the public.

The company said: "Due to the Covid-19 pandemic our specialist surfacing contractor is unable to obtain the surfacing materials they require to carry out the surfacing works.

"We do not know, at this time, when we will be re-scheduling the surfacing work.

"Elsewhere on site we have reduced the numbers of personnel to ensure we are working within the social distancing guidelines.

"We will continue to work whilst it is safe and practical and we are able to get the materials we require to site."