BOURNEMOUTH council has issued a new statement suggesting poor workmanship could be to blame for the problems in the shared space area.

Earlier this week the authority announced it would be ripping up and relaying the road surface in Old Christchurch Road, next to Horseshoe Common, which was put down only three years ago.

The work was initially expected to cost £142,000, but now the authority says £121,000 as "the blocks lifted will be used elsewhere in the town".

Originally, the council said an increase in the number of buses using the road was had resulted in "premature wear", but bus firms disputed that there had been any increase in movements through the shared space, and the borough has accepted this.

The statement says: "Regardless of the number of buses, we can see that the road surface has deteriorated much quicker than expected and needs to be rectified.

"At the same time the council is looking into why this has happened and despite what is reported in the media we do not yet know if it is a result of the materials, the workmanship or the specification."

The statement also contains a bullish response to criticism of the shared space concept.

"Road casualties at Horseshoe Common have dramatically reduced since the original scheme was implemented.

"The average number of collisions causing casualties has fallen from 4.85 per annum before construction to 1.5 per annum now.

"As a result there is no review of the shared space planned."