Salterhebble roadwork chaos puts businesses on the brink of going bust

Businesses that run alongside Huddersfield Road, Halifax, where the 52 week programme of roadworks on the busy A629 started in August have highlighted their plight and the effect it has had on footfall to their business.

Nancy Hartley from OC’s cafe has seen a dramatic change and said she no longer sees a lot of regular customers. She also said the businesses themselves had to put in a request to Calderdale for signs to go up to say the shops were still open.

“It’s just been chaos,” she said. “We just feel we have been forgotten about and it’s like no-one looked at the impact the scheme was going to have on our businesses.

“People would quickly stop to grab a coffee and a sandwich. The regular people who did that I have not seen them since the roadworks began.

"We are losing money on a daily basis.

“All the businesses here love what they do. It’s just heartbreaking what is happening."

Mrs Hartley, who has run the business for eight years said that there has been a serious lack of communication from Calderdale Council and no compensation will be given to the businesses for their loss of earnings as there is no legal obligation.

She also questioned how much money was spent on the new A629 signs detailing what work is going on and why that money could no be given to support the traders.

Jeneen Coleman, from the Jackson Flower company, said within the next two weeks she will not be able to continue trading.

“It has been so bad that I no longer have passing trade and customers have stopped ringing to place orders for collection for when they are passing,” she said.

“With people diverting away from the area or not stopping due to lengthy queues or more so not knowing when they can stop because of all the machinery blocking and obstructing my premises, the roadworks have killed my business.

"The amount of trade lost is between 40 – 50 percent a week and being a sole trader this amount cannot be withstood.

“The contractors only put a sign up last week advertising that we are still open even though the roadworks have been going on since August and still nothing has improved because of the extensive nature of the roadworks.”

Councillor Barry Collins, Calderdale Council’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development, said the council is looking at ways to ease the disruption.

“One of the long-term aims of the improvement works on the A629 is to help boost local businesses and the economy.

“We are sorry to hear that some businesses on Salterhebble Hill are facing difficulties. We continue to do all we can to minimise disruption on the route during these temporary works, to help traffic flow better and keep the impact to businesses to a minimum. We are working closely with the businesses to look at solutions.”