Brick Lane, not Tarmac Lane!

Tower Hamlets is spending £300,000 resurfacing the street best known for its rows of Bangladeshi restaurants.

Residents were told without prior consultation that they should expect six weeks of disruption while the tarmacking is carried out.

The work, which will also install lighting, started last month. On completion, a small patch of cobbles will remain by the Truman Brewery.

Local resident Georgia Warren, 25, said she was so outraged she has started an online petition called "Brick Lane, Not Tarmac Lane."

She said: "I really want it to be stopped. It's a historical, characterful street and the idea that it needs smartening up seems really perverse to me."

Transport for London, which provided half the funding for the work, granted the money for "public realm improvements" intended to "support the local economy, café/club culture, restaurants, shops and street markets.

Ben Plowden, TfL's director of planning for surface transport, said: "At no time did Tower Hamlets indicate that they would use our funding for this type of work and we are taking this up with them as a matter of urgency."

But senior councillors want the cobbles covered in time for the Olympics.

Shahed Ali, Tower Hamlets' cabinet member for environment, said: "The new asphalt surface will be smarter, easier and cheaper to maintain and will help to distinguish space for pedestrians from traffic. It is just part of the work we are doing to ensure the area is as welcoming as possible to visitors this summer."

Although Brick Lane gets its name from kilns established there in the 15th century, the current cobbles were laid in the Nineties to enhance the historic character of the street and the council has argued this means that they do not merit conservation status.

Your say: It's a complete waste of money

Bronwyn Opland, 24, prop maker, Stamford Hill: "It's a complete waste
of money. It's a perfectly good road and it's part of the richness and character of the area.

"I've also heard Indian restaurant owners won't be able to stand outside to get customers during the Olympics."

Azmal Hussain, 59, runs Preem & Prithi restaurants, Brick Lane: "Tower Hamlets council is wrong to do this and they didn't consult the businesses.

"If they just closed the road and allowed us to have tables and chairs outside, it would create 200 extra jobs but they won't allow that."

Daisy Donohoe, 18, student, Brick Lane: "I don't think they should tarmac the street, it's great as it is. Everywhere is going to end up looking the same.

It's not dangerous and it's smart as it is. People come here because they've heard about Brick Lane and want to see the culture."