WORK to improve a struggling high street is being extended by two months because coal chutes have been found underneath the road.

Durham County Council is carrying out work in North Road, in Durham, to realign and resurface the road as part of a project to regenerate the area.

But the council has had extend the time the work will take after an old concrete road was found below the surface of the street, as well as six coal chutes outside the former cinema.

Extra resources, with work going on overnight, are being used to try and complete the work by May.

The scheme has been going on since October and had been expected to finish by March.

John Reed, head of technical services, said: “Unfortunately this scheme is taking longer than anticipated due to unexpected issues. In response we’ve added additional resources, including working overnight, but it will still mean that the completion date will need to be extended.

“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the businesses, bus services and users of North Road for their continued patience while we carry out these improvements.”

The work is aimed at improving traffic flow and replacing pavements with stone to make them more attractive and safer for pedestrians.

Pedestrian access to shops and businesses is being maintained throughout the work, with footpath diversions in place.

The section of road between Millburngate and the junction with Neville Street is closed to traffic.

Diversions for buses and the relocation of the taxi ranks will continue until the work is complete.

The North Road scheme is part of a £1.84 million programme being carried out by the council to upgrade roads and footpaths around the city over the next two years.

It is also the first stage of a proposed plan to regenerate North Road, which the council hopes will include building a new £8m bus station.

Just over £1.5m has been included for the project in the authority’s capital budget for 2018/19, which is due to be approved by councillors later this month.

If the proposal is approved. the council wants to remove the North Road roundabout, where it will relocate the bus station and create a pedestrian “gateway” area.

The current bus station would then be redeveloped and sold.

More details on the changes can be found at www.durham.gov.uk/northroad.