New Mills traders speak out after weeks of road works and diversions
New Mills traders say the recent road works have proved difficult for business, with road closures and diversions taking customers away from the town – but things look to be improving as some repair works have now been completed.
First a sinkhole appeared on the A6015, then weeks later a water pipe burst on Union Road.
United Utilities and Derbyshire County Council have been working to repair both issues but while the work has been taking place, roads have been closed and diversions have been put in place for motorists.
Shellie Hagan, from Pride of the Peaks, said: “It’s been very quiet recently and it hasn’t helped us the other day when we had no water at all for two and a half hours.
“We attract a lot of custom from walkers but the road into town has a diversion and we have noticed people just haven’t been coming in. Also with the trains not running everything seems quieter customer-wise.”
Network Rail are carrying out urgent repairs at Hague Bar as 50,000 tonnes of earth was at risk of falling from the railway into the River Goyt and this has disrupted train services which pass through New Mills.
Adam Morris, from High Street Book and Records said: “It’s been brutal these last few weeks with not many customers through the doors at all as they haven’t been able to get into town.”
However, now there is light at the end of the tunnel as Union Road reopened on Friday August, 16 and United Utilities carried out investigations into the sinkhole that damaged a section of sewer near New Mills.
These investigations revealed a collapsed culvert beneath the sewer. The water company has now completed the repairs to the sewer and handed the site back to Derbyshire County Council, who are responsible for the repair of the culvert.
A United Utilities spokesperson, said: “We’d like to apologise for the inconvenience caused by the roadworks on the A6015 and on Union Street. We understand the frustration but these were essential repairs that needed to be carried out.”
A spokesperson for Derbyshire County Council added: “We have taken the site over from United Utilities and are carrying out investigatory works on the culvert. This is complex work but we will provide further updates when we can.”