TRANSPORT bosses' failure to agree upgrades to a Winchester street has left taxpayers with a £30,000 bill, the Hampshire Chronicle can reveal.

It has taken Hampshire County Council seven years to approve highway enhancement plans for Grange Road, St Cross.

It was originally the responsibility of Cavendish and Gloucester to fund the works after it built 37 new homes there in 2003. But delays have meant a legal agreement obliging the developer to carry out the improvements has expired.

Despite this the homebuilder still gave £70,000 towards the £100,000 scheme, leaving taxpayers to pick up the remainder.

In documents seen by the Hampshire Chronicle council officers concede they have no means of pursuing the developer for the project costs. They go on to admit there is "considerable public and member disappointment that the works have not been carried out".

Ian Tait, city councillor for St Cross, criticised the county council and said he believed the scheme could cost up to £140,000.

He said: "There's been no county councillor driving it - which there should have been - and there's been so many changes at the county council it's been passed from person to person.

"What if the developer had said no? Would that have meant the county having to pay £100,000? Then surely heads should have rolled and there should have been an enquiry.

"They will be able to defend their position in gobbledegook and council-speak saying they were always going to pick up some costs of the project anyway.

"I'm pleased that the work is going ahead but I have not been consulted and consultation with the local community has been poor."

He added the developer had acted with "total integrity" and "in a very honourable way".

Prof Richard Jones, of St Cross Road, said the county council had continually kicked the project into the long grass.

"It's ludicrous, it must have been known there was a time limit on it," he said. "Through their delaying or incompetence they have got the taxpayer to pay up."

The works near Grange Road, which are scheduled to begin on Monday (January 25), will include several enhancements. A pedestrian crossing will be installed in St Cross Road, better access provided to the bus stop and resurfacing work carried out in Grange Road and Grange Close.

But the council has scrapped work to improve visibility at the junction of Grange Road and St Cross Road. A review of the 40mph speed limit is underway.

Cllr Mel Kendal, HCC's executive member for environment, said: "The £30,000 being contributed by the county council is in respect of maintenance work that was deferred, pending completion of the Grange Road development.

"Complications with the developers original scheme contributed significantly to the delays experienced but there is now an agreed scheme in place that we consider gives value for money as well as benefits to the residents of Grange Road and the wider community."

What do you think? Happy it's being done or disappointed about the time it has taken? What about the £30,000 bill for the taxpayer? Leave your comments below.