COUNCILLORS have insisted a crucial link road to Wrexham Industrial Estate is “still on track”.

Work was due to start on the £25m scheme in September, but it has now been delayed until spring next year because the authority has had to revise the way it is seeking a contractor to do the job.

At a meeting this week the council’s executive committee agreed to change the original two-stage plan to get a contractor on board to a single process.

It means bidders will draw up their own pricing and plans before a selection is made.

Councillors also agreed for the contract notice to be readvertised.

At the meeting Cllr David Bithell, the lead member for environment and transport, said: “There have been a lot of negative comments in the press about the delay to the link road.

“Officers have done a lot of work and it is still on track even though it’s slightly delayed.

“The economic benefit is tremendous and this project is going to be delivered.”

The major scheme aims to improve the existing road access which has long been considered inadequate for the volume and type of traffic that uses it, according to council leaders.

A first phase A534 dual carriageway has been built but the second phase involves two feeder roads to the north and south.