Controversial work to remove cobbles from Ashford high street have begun.

Businesses remain open while the pavement and road through the town's Lower High Street is ripped up and replaced with black tarmac.

The area of uneven cobbles which are set to go has been cordoned off by contractors, who have installed a pavement either side of the fenced area for pedestrians.

It is estimated the work, which started today, will take about six weeks to complete.

The Lower High Street between the junctions for North Street and Wellesley Road is now out of bounds, with market traders who usually set up there able to pitch their stalls in Middle Row instead.

The cobbles, which have been in the town for almost 25 years, are being removed as part of a joint project between Ashford Borough Council (ABC) and Kent County Council (KCC).

Thousands of pounds have been invested in Ashford as part of the major renovation project, which aims to improve the “look and feel” of the town centre, and “enhance” safety for pedestrians.

But many have opposed the work, including the owner of the long-running Soundcraft Hi-Fi store in the Lower High Street, Geoff Mathews, who thinks the cobbles need preserving.

“At this time of year particularly, the environment needs to be safe for people walking up and down,” he told KentOnline.

“We don’t want it to simply be tarmacked over and become full of skateboarders and e-scooters.

“This area is a really nice feature to the town and it needs preserving."

But while some are opposed to the loss of the cobbles, some have been supportive of the plan.

Roadworks have been under way since November 1 to improve Ashford's 'Shared Space' and the whole £600,000 project is set to be complete by spring this year.

First introduced to the Lower High Street in 1999, numerous complaints have been raised about the cobbles, which some say deter disabled people from visiting the town centre due to how uneven they are.