For the last five months, Petersfield has been Òroadwork cityÓ with two major schemes being carried out in the town.

The High StreetÕs major facelift is now nearly complete with the final touches being made to the road itself, but it is a very different story at Ramshill.

In what seemed like no time at all the High Street was resurfaced in dramatic red Tarmac this week.

Hampshire County Council contractors had to close the road for three days and worked at the weekend to make sure the job was finished on time.

And the impressive operation certainly drew a crowd earlier this week as workmen painted the town red in one stroke.

Jon Merrick, project manager for the High Street works, said even though the bright red shimmer will wear off, the colour will remain.

ÒThis is a result of working with county planners, district planners, and conservation people. No scheme like this happens as a result of one small department. It is teamwork across the whole spectrum, including the local community.Ó

ÒWe have got signs that will go up across the area for the 20-mph zone and parking restrictions.Ó

The final phase of the town centre improvements, including courtesy crossings in the High Street and traffic calming in Hylton Road, will be completed over the next two months ready for the opening ceremony in September.

Mr Merrick added that one-way traffic had helped contractors.

He said: ÒThe decision to go one-way has really helped the project, otherwise there would have been a lot more disruption. Again itÕs a team effort.Ó

The town has undergone a huge overhaul in the past nine months with improvements to The Square, new pavements and now a red High Street.

But now work is drawing to a close and residents are starting to reap the rewards of their patience.

And town mayor George Watkinson

was one of the first to congratulate the contractors.

He said: ÒI am delighted to see the end result and it has fulfilled all my hopes from when the scheme was in its infancy three or four years ago.Ó

And he added that he was a big fan of the new colour scheme: ÒI like it personally.Ó

So all is well in the town centre but at Ramshill motorists are seeing red for an entirely different reason.

Back in March, Bryant Homes started work on the access to the new 276-home estate at Ramshill, opposite ChurcherÕs College.

The work was due to end on June 17 but now, one week later, it looks far from complete.

Three-phase traffic lights, on Ramshill and Kingsfernsden Lane, are in operation causing long tailbacks at both morning and evening peak times.

One ChurcherÕs College parent said that the lights were causing chaos.

Jane Wright said: ÒIt causes havoc first thing in the morning and I find it unbelievable they have not been made to work weekends to make this inconvenience as short as possible.Ó

Kathryn Fuller, from Petersfield, who travels to work in Farnham every day, said the Ramshill lights had caused long delays to her journey.

She said: ÒIt takes much longer to get to work in the morning, the traffic is queued right back down Ramshill.Ó She added: ÒComing home is worse, now the weather is getting warmer you just have to sit there in a hot car for ages. They were supposed to finish last week, but half the road is still missing, it looks far from complete.Ó

Permission for the massive 276-home estate was granted by district planners in May last year after Bryant Homes had to revamp plans they had drawn up two years previously because of new government guidelines on housing density.

The first houses are due to be completed next year but building is likely to continue until 2007.

The Herald contacted Bryant Homes but they did not wish to make a comment.