MP takes on Marlborough traders' concerns
7:00am Saturday 7th August 2010 in Latest News
Traders in Marlborough concerned at the loss of business resulting from months of roadworks in the town and which are likely to continue until the end of February have gained the support of MP Claire Perry who is asking Wiltshire Council if anything can be done to get them finished sooner.
She was unable to get to the retail forum meeting on Tuesday last week because it was the last day of Parliament before the summer recess but she said: “I have been getting complaints about the traffic problems and I have suffered from them myself.
“It is a problem with shops saying their takings are down by 25 per cent a week.”
She said she supported the idea of opening up the Wait-rose High Street entrance to two-way traffic and having lights at the end of George Lane allowing traffic to emerge on to Salisbury Road.
Mrs Perry said: “I am calling for joined-up thinking in situations like this where businesses are suffering.”
The traders have asked Wiltshire Council to look at options to ease the traffic-flow system in Marlborough including allowing traffic to emerge from the Waitrose car park on to High Street instead of having to join queues in George Lane.
The latest roadworks causing tailbacks at peak times are in Pewsey Road when the bridge over the River Kennet is being rebuilt.
Toy shop owner Chris Birkett asked Wiltshire council’s Marlborough Area Board why the closure of Pewsey Road had to include the Christmas period.
David Bullock, head of the council’s service traffic and network management, said its streetworks co-ordinator had tried to ensure the impact of works was kept to a minimum.
Comments(3)
WiltshireBorn&Bred
says...
3:08pm Sat 7 Aug 10
The biggest problem with many of the roadworks around here lately seems to be the small amount of time when any 'works' are actually going on. Most of the time there seems to be no-one around for much of the time.
Why doesn't the council make 'time of the essence' for all roadworks with financial penalties for those involved if they fail to meet tight deadlines?
wakeupmarlborough
says...
12:42pm Tue 10 Aug 10
Couple of reasons why this won't happen. Firstly there is no money to fund such a project and secondly the shopkeepers have stated in the past that a bypass would turn Marlborough into a ghost town. I don't think so.
No good moaning about loss of trade if you are against doing something positive about it. The shopkeepers will keep moaning, the much wanted bypass will not occur and the traffic chaos will continue. Welcome to Marlborough.
who dat? says...
10:17am Sat 7 Aug 10
Lunacy - It is dangerous enough now with pedestrians not always aware of traffic heading for the alley , speeding morons racing down the slope , queuing traffic on the High St, etc - not the brightest of ideas , Claire!
"David Bullock, head of the council’s service traffic and network management, said its streetworks co-ordinator had tried to ensure the impact of works was kept to a minimum. "
Tried and failed then -no bonus for you then ,Sunshine!