Bilston Urban Village: Road closures will 'hurt businesses and cause traffic chaos'
Road closures and diversions starting today as part of the £176 million Bilston Urban Village project will cause eight weeks of traffic chaos and lost takings, businesses said today.
Work to install water and gas mains as part of the new housing development off Coseley Road was beginning today, resulting in 24-hour closures stopping traffic entering from the Black Country Route. For a number of small businesses on Broad Lanes, which connects to Coseley Road, this means being cut off from potential customers for two months.
Meanwhile, articulated lorries from businesses on the nearby Withy Road Industrial Estate will be forced into making a sharp turn down Highfields Road in order to leave the town, as they will be unable to go through the Black Country Route.
One businessman said the result of the roadworks will be 'damaging' for firms and re-routing the articulated lorries will cause 'a total gridlock' and safety hazards for motorists.
Paul Fanthom, owner of Technically Autos garage on Withy Road Industrial Estate, said: "All manner of problems will be caused by these roadworks.
"From a business point of view, a lot of our customers come to us by the Black Country Route and I just don't think they are going to go all the way around to get here.
"This is going to last for at least eight weeks, it could be even longer, it will damage all of our businesses, we are only small companies and we rely on a lot of people coming through the Black Country Route.
"Outside of those problems, you have to think about the traffic issues this is going to cause. There are, on average, around 100 articulated lorries in use on this estate, coming and going at all hours.
"They won't be able to take the Black Country Route any more, traffic will be diverted down Highfields Road but that turn is so tight, having big lorries do that is a real danger."
Businessman Dave Foster, owner of Dave's Autos, on Broad Lanes, said the potential for delays was a concern.
He said: "In the long run, we understand that the plans may benefit us, but in the mean time, this is going to affect our business.
"We have been told it is going to last eight weeks but you can never be sure, the longer it goes on, the worse things will get for us."
Council bosses have said that the Bilston Urban Village project will form a key part of wider regeneration plans across Wolverhampton.
A new pedestrian link created to connect the town centre with the new residential area forms part of the plans, as well as numerous housing schemes.
Wolverhampton council spokesman Oliver Bhurrut said: "The works due to take place on Coseley Road are essential to the progress of the multi-million pound Bilston Urban Village regeneration project.
"These works are not only vital to facilitate service diversions - but will also create a new road junction to access the new development.
"Businesses and residents have been kept fully informed of the works in advance either verbally or via letters and site notices.
"We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause during this time and would like to assure them every effort is being made to keep disruption to a minimum."
