Highways bosses are looking again at whether temporary traffic lights could be used
Author: Grace O’HarePublished 3 minutes ago
Traders in Tetbury are calling on highways bosses to reconsider a road closure which will block one of the main routes into the Cotswold town for several weeks, amid fears it will hurt trade in the run-up to Christmas.
Silver Street is due to close from Monday 26th October between Gumstool Hill and the Green.
According to local parish and town councils, it may not reopen until 27th November.
Gloucestershire County Council is closing the road, which is the main route into the town from Malmesbury, to allow repairs to go ahead at a house on the street.
The closure means motorists face a 50-mile official diversion route.
Traders say it comes at the worst possible time as they prepare for Christmas.
Traders’ concerns
Jackie Stead, manager at French Grey, an independently owned homeware and gifts store in Long Street, said the closure comes at a crucial time for traders.
She said: “It’s very concerning considering this is our lead up to Christmas.”
She added: “This is what we traders look forward to potentially as a bumper time to carry us through our quieter months.”
Jackie said the shop expanded into the empty premises next door last year and dedicated it to Christmas stock.
She said the shop plans to go bigger this year, but now has to consider whether customers can reach it from that part of the country.
She said Tetbury has a range of cafes, hotels and shops that make it a destination for a full day out.
She said: “And we’re not talking just about a section of the high street being closed and awkward to get to. We are talking about an entrance to the town.”
Jackie said traders hope the closure will be postponed, or changed to a single-lane closure with temporary traffic lights.
Calls for a rethink
Laura Hall-Wilson, the Conservative councillor who represents Tetbury with Upton at Cotswold District Council, is among those calling on Gloucestershire Highways to reconsider.
She said: “Since news of the road closure on Silver Street broke I have been chasing highways to reconsider, postpone and scale back the closure to ensure as little disruption as possible to Christmas trading in the town, residents on Silver Street and along the diversion route and patients at Tetbury Hospital.”
She said: “It has taken weeks to get a response and even then legitimate concerns have been ignored.”
She said: “The Liberal Democrats at Shire Hall have failed to see the complete contradiction in spending £7,500 of public money on a town centres initiative (which identified local authority support for Christmas initiatives to be a key element for year round success) and the closure of this significant route into the town from Wiltshire at this time of year, and for this long.”
She said: “We are still hoping for a last minute intervention to implement single lane, light controlled traffic.”
Cllr Hall-Wilson also criticised the area’s MP.
She said: “We have had a very disappointing response from our MP who has only parroted the lines and reiterated the situation from Gloucestershire County Council which we already know and has not advocated for the town in any way.”
Highways response
Cllr Mark Harris, the Liberal Democrat cabinet member for highways at Gloucestershire County Council, said the authority understands the concerns raised about the impact of the closure.
He said: “We have been working closely with the Mayor of Tetbury, residents, businesses and the Tetbury Hospital to minimise disruption where it is possible.”
He said: “The closure is required to allow private building works and scaffolding on properties to be carried out safely.”
He said: “Given the width of Silver Street and the space needed to provide a safe working area, there would not currently be enough room for vehicles to pass safely while the work takes place.”
He said: “During previous work at this location, when the road remained open, a lorry collided with the scaffolding, causing damage to the property and a neighbouring property.”
He said: “The road will therefore close as planned on Monday to allow the site and scaffolding to be set up safely. We are arranging a site meeting early next week to look again at whether the working area can be reduced sufficiently to allow the road to reopen under temporary traffic lights for some of the remaining work.”
He said: “Safety has to be our priority, but we recognise the disruption this closure could cause and will continue to work with the contractor to see whether its impact can be reduced.”
MP’s response
South Cotswolds MP Roz Savage, a Liberal Democrat, said Silver Street is a key route into Tetbury and she understands why a closure in the run-up to Christmas has worried local businesses, residents and Tetbury Hospital.
She said: “Many constituents have written to me about it, and I’ve passed their concerns on to the County Council.”
She said: “Thanks to pressure from residents, businesses and the Town Council, some changes have already been made.”
She said: “The works will now run seven days a week and finish on November 18, more than a week earlier than planned. There will also be pedestrian access for the Remembrance parades and extra signs for hospital access. I welcome the Council looking again at the remaining concerns, including whether temporary traffic lights could be used safely.”
She said: “I’m disappointed that a local councillor feels I haven’t advocated for Tetbury. Just this year I tabled an Early Day Motion celebrating the Tetbury Area Youth and Community Trust, raised how the Government’s business rates changes are affecting Tetbury’s pubs, and spoke up for Tetbury Goods Shed and Greening Tetbury in Parliament.”
She said: “I’ll be back in the town on Remembrance Sunday and again on November 27, and I’m always happy to work with anyone, from any party, who wants the best for Tetbury.”