ANGRY traders fear planned bollards will cause a bottleneck outside their Swanage stores, making it impossible for emergency services to get past.
They also fear the work, rescheduled to start in Institute Road next week, could run into the Easter holidays, damaging trade.
However, county council road chiefs have pledged to suspend the work over the Easter holidays, should it overrun.
Julianne Willis, manager of Beavers Restaurant, said: “The bollards are a fabulous idea; they will tidy the pavements up. But you cannot have both them and a loading bay – otherwise vehicles will not be able to get past. This could be dangerous for emergency vehicles.”
The work, to repair broken paving slabs, was supposed to start on March 1.
A loading bay runs along one side of Institute Road, with the bollards planned for the other side to protect the pavement.
“The problem is if lorries are in the loading bay, trucks find it hard to get past without mounting the pavement on the other side,” said Miss Willis.
Traders also fear, despite the county giving its assurance this week, that work could overrun.
Miss Willis said: “If it runs into the Easter weekend it will be catastrophic for the businesses along Institute Road.
“Nobody is going to battle dust and debris to get to the restaurant.”
A Dorset County Council spokesperson said the work had been postponed because of the severe weather.
She added: “If work commences on March 15, we will stop work on March 26 and restart on April 19 to avoid any disruption during the Easter holidays.
“If a lorry is parked correctly, an emergency vehicle should be able to get past.”
