FRUSTRATED traders have been hit hard by the recent news that the Airlie main street was both over budget and behind time. 

While the construction company Probuild Civil has been quick to point out that delays due to weather are unavoidable, the overwhelming feeling among the traders is that the project lacks urgency. 

Hogs Breath company founder Don Algie was so upset by "the disaster in motion, when it is in motion", that he penned his first letter to the Whitsunday Times in 25 years, stating "I have had enough".

"It seems equipment sits around dormant, rusting from lack of use, employees are thin on a project that has no urgency, and while ever good-looking backpackers are walking around, work comes second best," Mr Algie's letter said.

Mr Algie's sentiments were echoed by AirlieBeach.com proprietor Tony Laurent. 

"I don't know anything about the budget and I support the main street, but any old excuse will do," he said. 

"It's just the slowest moving construction team I've ever seen in my life. They simply don't know they've got our livelihoods in their hands." Probuild Civil project manager Alistair Neale said he understood the frustrations but also had the welfare of the construction workforce at heart. 

"The guys work 50 hours a week in extreme heat and humidity so for health and safety reasons we're getting them to take a break every 40 minutes for about five minutes," he said. 

"We're also pushing to work six days a week, which takes its toll on our workers.

"Everyone that's been around when it hasn't rained has worked six days a week since Christmas."

As for accusations of stringing the contract out, Mr Neale said people "forget that Probuild is a business as well".

"The quicker we get out of the job the better [it is] for us," he said.

"There is no incentive for us to take longer to complete the job. It's financially not good." Mr Neale said on construction sites, achieving continuity was difficult and workers were not always flat-out.

However, he ended on a positive note, saying that in three or four weeks, the main street would be different story.

"People will start to see real progress on the finished project," he said.   

It's just the slowest moving construction team I've ever seen in my life. They simply don't know they've got our livelihoods in their hands.