Fury over 10-week road closure

1:30pm Friday 26th September 2008

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TRADERS in Melksham have expressed their anger over plans to close a main road through the town for 10 weeks.

From October 6, Bank Street will close as Wiltshire County Council carries out a £120,000 project to restore, widen and resurface the footway The news comes after the adjoining Bath Road was shut for more than a month at the beginning of the year to allow for gasworks.

Stephen Clunie, who has owned Avon Angling and Sports in Bath Road for 25 years, is furious at the news.

He said shopkeepers should have their council tax rates reduced as compensation for the disruption.

He said: "I have no idea why they didn't carry out this work when they shut Bath Road last time.

"It was closed only a few months ago for work. Do they not think these things through?

"The fact they are doing it in the run up to Christmas is unbelievable too.

"Doing it in January or February would make much more sense.

"This is the busiest time of year. There is no logic to this."

Mr Clunie said people drive down Bank Street to get to his shop and said the closure would affect trade for most shops in the street.

Den Jefferies, 64, who has owned DJ's in Bank Street for 15 years said he felt the closure would send some businesses under.

"There are a few struggling shops and I think this closure will mean they are on the brink of going out of business," he said.

"We are all rate payers, so I am appalled at this news.

"I think people will stay away from the area and go off to Trowbridge or Devizes instead as it will be much easier for them."

The closure is so workmen can widen the eastern pavement to provide pedestrians with more space.

The county council confirmed they would also be replacing the existing footway material with new paving slabs and resurfacing of the carriageway.

The project is being jointly funded by the county council, West Wiltshire District Council and Melksham Town Council.

Deliveries to businesses and residents will be still allowed access during the construction period and a temporary bus stop will be installed in Market Place to deal with re-routed bus services.

Emma Payne, who works at Flowers in Focus in Bank Street, said she was shocked by the news.

"It did have an effect on trade the last time they closed the road," she said, "People assume the shops are shut and go to one end of the town or the other and stay away.

"Christmas is a very busy time for us and this work won't be finished until well into December."

Gareth Rogers, senior engineer at Wiltshire County Council, said: "This scheme has been developed following a request from the town council, and will improve the pedestrian environment throughout this section of Bank Street."