Wet weather and "unforeseen ground conditions" are to blame for delays in shoring up Pembroke Canal on Woodlands Road, according to Works and Engineering Minister Derrick Burgess.

But he told a press conference yesterday that the construction work was now about 80 percent complete and would be finished by late August. Mr. Burgess said the western lane of the road would remain closed to traffic until then.

Work on Woodlands Road began in February to stabilise the edge of the road that runs alongside the canal, along with supporting the other side of the canal, which runs next to the Bermuda Athletic Association (BAA) field.

Highways engineer Curtis Charles said yesterday: "The BAA property was slipping into the canal and the water level was rising."

Mr. Burgess said there had been difficulties with the project. "Below the mud line, a peat moss layer was encountered, which required stabilisation. These stabilisation works took longer than expected and it has resulted in a delay."

He said that once the work was complete a fence separating the road and field from the canal would be installed for safety purposes.