BUSINESSES and residents living on a road blighted by long term closures will get some relief when it reopens – but are already being warned it will shut once more in the coming months.
Traffic has been unable to travel the length of Watery Lane since June as work on a new housing takes place, having previously been restricted to due to works to reroute a water main.
But businesses have now been told the route will temporarily reopen from 1st November with temporary traffic lights in place near the railway bridge.
The respite will only be brief though, with confirmation it will shut again from 5th January to 2nd April – a move one business described as “a kick in the teeth”.
A letter from Staffordshire County Council told businesses on Watery Lane:
“Work has progressed as planned between the new housing junction and the railway bridge, but our team has run into unexpected issues with underground power cables just beyond the bridge.
“These are high-voltage cables that weren’t originally planned to be moved. For safety reasons, we now need to reroute them.
“Moving the cables will involve digging near the railway and temporarily disconnecting them. Since the process takes time to plan and get the necessary equipment, we’ve decided to reopen Watery Lane temporarily to ease disruption.
“From 6th January 2025 the road will need to close again so we can finish moving the cables and complete the rest of the roadworks.”
Byron Lewis, owner of Lichfield Garden Centre at Curborough Countryside Centre, said the ongoing disruption was making life extremely difficult for businesses on Watery Lane.
“While are relieved and happy that Watery Lane will be fully open again in time for our busy Christmas season, it’s a real kick in the teeth that it will be closed yet again for more roadworks in the New Year.
“We can’t apply for any compensation for this disruption, we’ve just got to struggle on and hope for the best.
“Between the closure this time last year, the flooding in January that caused a three week closure, then this latest six-month closure we have already lost tens of thousands of pounds in lost sales.
“We’re lucky to still be in business. We desperately need customers to make the effort to use the diversion route and not abandon us altogether.”
It will take three months to reroute some cables?! Unbelievable.
I feel so sorry for the businesses affected ? Let’s hope we don’t get any heavy rain between now and Xmas time then ? I see the builders want to sell the houses before the new road is built ? DONT LET THEM LOOK WHATS HAPPENED IN WALTON ON TRENT . HOUSING ESTATE BEEN BUILT BUT STILL NO NEW BRIDGE THAT WAS PROMISED IN EXCHANGE FOR PLANNING DONT TRUST DEVELOPERS .,.?
Absolute joke , can’t see why it’s taking g so long , talk about dragging your feet
This is before the disruption and damage HGV traffic is causing traversing the narrow lane to access the building site. It’s not uncommon for HGVs travelling in opposite directions to take upto 30 minutes to get passed each other, resulting in giant tailbacks, lost custom for businesses, and severe disruption for those trying to access their business premises.