‘17 WEEKS IS SUCH A LONG TIME. IT’S GOING TO BE A NIGHTMARE!’
Businesses fear worse as cycle lane installed
MOTORISTS and traders are facing four months of disruption on a busy route into Newcastle town centre.
Work to install a new cycle lane along the A52 starts today.
The three-metre wide track will be installed along the A52 George Street from its junction with Hassell Street and link up with the end of the existing cycleway in Stoke-on-trent.
Signs have been put up in the area warning motorists that they face long delays on the busy thoroughfare as the 17-week project gets underway, while Staffordshire County Council has written to local businesses warning of the disruption.
Three-way temporary traffic lights will be in place throughout the works and two side roads will be closed. A five-night road closure will also be enforced towards the end of the project so that the road surfacing can take place.
Business owners in the area are worried about the impact that the work is going to have.
Victoria White owns The White Room hair and beauty salon, in George Street. She said: “Three-way traffic lights are going to cause the traffic to be backed up for a long way in all directions.
“We only found out about it when we got a letter about two weeks ago. They are also taking away the onehour parking, so clients are going to have to pay to park elsewhere and walk to the salon.
“It’s such a long time and it could potentially overrun and then you’re getting into November and the Christmas period. It’s going to be a complete nightmare.”
The nearby Heritage Barber Shop has also had to warn clients to leave extra time to get to their appointments. Owner James Davison said: “It’s going to cause a lot of disruption and 17 weeks is such a long time. Parking is going to be a nightmare.
“I can see the benefit of a cycle lane but I don’t know if it’s necessary to spend all this money.”
The county council says the Government-funded scheme will provide cyclists with a safe link between Newcastle and Stoke-ontrent. The major project will see the cycleway separated from pedestrians and vehicles by kerbs, road narrowing, footway resurfacing and pedestrian crossing upgrades.
A new, reduced 20mph speed limit is proposed as well as alterations to parking spaces and the creation of loading areas for local businesses. Staffordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways and transport David Williams, left, said: “Providing safe cycle and pedestrian routes is a priority to us – encouraging more people to use healthy and greener transport alternatives.
“This scheme when completed will provide an important link between Newcastle and Stoke-on-trent, and we’ve worked with the city council to make it happen. It will be the first of several cycle projects in Newcastle that will create safe routes along the main transport corridors into the town.”
The £400,000 scheme has been funded through the Government’s Active Travel Fund.