SGN is set to lift the closure of Bashley Road a month ahead of schedule, boosting local businesses.
The road closed January 6th, near the Rising Sun pub. SGN rejected traffic lights for safety reasons, planning to finish by March 28th originally. Signs said “Businesses open” during the gas main work.
Workers finished replacing old pipes with new ones and have been cleaning up for days now. One plant centre owner is not impressed with the timing, feeling they could have finished much sooner. He thinks the gas company is at fault and believes workers weren’t efficient.
He believes there weren’t any major problems, saying the workers seemed slow. He heard rumors of earlier completion dates. The road closure hurt businesses badly, with his business losing 80% of its customers.
Too many signs and vans scared people away; he said filling holes took too long. He said no traffic came by his business and felt like he should have taken a vacation. He hopes business will improve with spring and intends to apply for compensation soon.
Another shop owner said the impact was awful, estimating a 40% drop in customers. Many motorists avoided the area. They hope Easter trade will help them recover. A garage owner thinks they lost half their trade.
Locals helped promote them on social media, hoping to recover their losses this year. A motorcycle legend criticized the project strongly, fearing the work would last past March 28th. He claimed a 40% drop at his museum and café, calling the whole thing a “shambles.”
He felt the council should have fined SGN. The mayor said the site will be cleared today, sharing updates from SGN often. He said the work finished faster than planned and that businesses can apply for compensation, hoping they recover losses with it.
SGN will replant damaged areas, he assured, also saying work was quick and clean. It’s a main route into New Milton, he added. The mayor is happy it finished early, and the local newspaper contacted SGN for their views.