Riccarton Rd works ramping up, again
Roadworks are back on Christchurch’s Riccarton Rd, ending a summer reprieve for businesses.
The works on the eastern end of the road were put on hold over Christmas and through summer after an outcry from business owners hurting financially from the works. Some claimed to have lost half their turnover. At least two businesses closed.
The Christchurch City Council works began in September 2016, initially expecting to be finished last September. Minor works restarted in March, in preparation for disruptive surfacing work planned for May and June.
Traffic lights are being installed at the railway crossing and underground pipe work will close a section of Harakeke St for much of April.
The surfacing work will be done in two sections and will include night-time work. One lane of traffic in either direction would remain open through the day.
Liquorland Riccarton coowner Steve Crotty said his business ‘‘lost hundreds of thousands of dollars’’ last year, but bounced back over summer.
He said he was sure the current works would have an effect, but there had better communication this year.
‘‘The businesses understand this work is necessary, and we’d all like to see Riccarton Rd as smooth as, but now that we’re able to communicate with the council and Fulton Hogan at a meaningful level, we’re trying to make the best of a bad situation.’’
Roma on Riccarton motel owner Mark Jones said it business was almost back to normal over summer, but thought it would be bad with the roadworks back. ‘‘We had walk-ins we weren’t getting when the roadworks were here.’’
He said communication with the council had been ‘‘very good’’ this time around, with key people easy to contact, flexible about the work schedule and visiting to talk things through if there were changes.
Jones said he had no idea how bad the overnight surfacing work would be, but it could be ‘‘horrendous’’ for the business.
He said it was one thing to lose a customer for a week, but he could not afford to lose too many repeat customers due to the disruptions.
Council transport planning and delivery manager Lynette Ellis said the council ‘‘worked with the affected businesses to find a time that minimises disruption’’ after a group of business asked for the work to be put on hold through their busy summer period.
"The businesses understand this work is necessary, and we'd all like to see Riccarton Rd as smooth as . . . we're trying to make the best of a bad situation."
Liquorland Riccarton co-owner Steve Crotty, left