Businesses blast town roadworks

People in a Lancashire town have blasted changes to roads and car parking which they say are hitting businesses and residents, threatening jobs and creating hazards.

They have criticised two projects in Nelson aiming to improve traffic flow, encourage more walking and cycling, and help regeneration.

The Nelson work includes changes to roads, pavements and public spaces around the town centre and some gateway routes including Scotland Road. Work began last autumn and is due to be finished this November.

The work is linked to the £3.4m Accessible Nelson scheme and a portion of the £55m East Lancashire Safer, Greener, Healthier Streets programme for a number of boroughs. Both schemes use Westminster cash agreed under the previous goverment.

On Scotland Road, Andrew Brown and Ajaz Hussain, from AH Interiors, say local trade has been hit and the shop may have to lay-off staff.

Andrew, the store manager, said: “We have 11 staff but some may have to go. We don’t want to lose them – they’re long-serving staff – but we can’t afford to keep them if this continues.

“There was nothing wrong with the roads and pavements before all this. It’s effecting businesses and actually making things more dangerous. I’ve seen ambulances and fire engines stuck in traffic for minutes . Those vehicles are  responding to life-and-death matters. And I’ve seen more bumps between vehicles recently than in the past 20 years.

“We didn’t need cycle lanes, the main road made narrower or five zebra crossings in a short distance. The cycle lanes are in sections in some parts.

The one going north on Scotland Road just stops before the M65 junction. It’s ridiculous. ”

Regarding the impact on businesses, he said: “Customer numbers have been hit because people think they’ll struggle to park. Once they’re inside the shop,  it can be OK and we can do business. But the traffic situation puts people off. ”

Ajaz Hussain, the owner, said: “This shop has been here for 40 years and it’s been a good location. But we are sick of all this disruption. We put a petition together but nobody seems to listen to us. The authorities are wasting public money. ”

Mohammed Sharif runs the Super Auto Saver shop. He said: “New drains have been put along the pavements but rain water collects in puddles on the pavement and comes through the shop walls. The quality of work is bad. We’ve reported the problems but nobody has been to see us. There was a lot of chaos with laying the new surfaces.

“And the police were here yesterday, giving tickets to drivers who’d parked cars where they shouldn’t  But the police said they felt sorry for people.

There aren’t enough parking spaces for shops or residents.”

He added: “Who made these decisions about the roads? I think a lot of councillors are uneducated. When agendas for their meetings are published, do they just go into meetings without reading the details and vote? Do councillors think about the impact? Some don’t live here and will have no idea what the outcome will be.

“I vote for councillors to do good things, not this. I’ve spoken to various councillors but nobody wants to take ownership.”

Customer Ryan Clough, from Barrowford, said: “I work all over Nelson and these road works are impeding on my life massively. It delays my journeys.  I’ve also seen tar surfaces being put down but then ripped up. Some parking spaces have been turned into cycle lanes. But pedestrians or cyclists don’t pay a tax like drivers. I only just managed to find a space today.  But I’m not happy.”

Mohammed Yaqub, another customer, said:  “All this money should be spent on potholes, where it’s needed.  These changes have made it harder for big lorries to manoeuvre. There also seems to be zebra crossings every 50 metres so traffic doesn’t flow. And there are new blind spots for drivers. I work in Manchester but do some taxi work in Nelson. The slow traffic here is a big problem.”

Lola McEvoy works at Star Print. She said : “Everyone is frustrated. The authorities should be boosting town centres not blocking access.

Businesses and residents are fighting for parking spaces. There used to be spaces outside our shop but now it’s a green cycle lane. Also, there are a lot of near-misses between lorries and cars at roundabouts and corners.”

The two schemes were arranged by Lancashire County Council and Pendle Council. The county is the lead authority on roads.

Coun Warren Goldsworthy, the county’s cabinet member for highways and transport, said:  “These schemes have been designed to make it safer and easier for people to get around their community, as well as supporting healthier travel choices, and required approval from the Department for

Transport to ensure that they deliver benefits and offer value for money.

“They were developed following extensive public engagement with both residents and businesses which included in-person and on-line events and letters being hand delivered.  In some areas we have also used WhatsApp channels to keep local communities updated.

“We continue to listen to feedback and monitor traffic to mitigate the impact on local communities, and thank all residents, businesses and visitors for their patience during the ongoing works.”