Three more months of Wolverhampton road closures as collapsed sewer unearthed
Road closures brought in as part of a £15.7 million Wolverhampton pedestrianisation scheme have been extended by up to three months.
A number of routes in Wolverhampton city centre have been blocked to traffic since the start of the year while Victoria Street is pedestrianised.
Now council chiefs have announced extensions to road closures linked to the scheme, which has caused misery for local businesses who say trade has dried up.
Labour-run Wolverhampton Council says the whole scheme remains on target to be completed by early next year, and revealed the extensions were necessary after a collapsed Victorian sewer was discovered.
The closure of Salop Street from its junction with School Street to its junction with Worcester Street has been pushed back three months and is now scheduled to reopen at the end of October.
The same applies to Cleveland Street, which is closed from its junction with Worcester Street/Victoria Street to its junction with Cleveland Passage.
Meanwhile Mitre Fold and North Street will remain shut off to traffic until November 11, six weeks longer than planned. Temporary traffic signals will remain in place on Red Lion Street until the same date.
Councillor Stephen Simkins, Wolverhampton Council’s deputy leader and city economy chief, said the works remained “firmly on track” to be completed by early next year.
“All the traffic management on the scheme is being carried out alongside regular communication with the traders to minimise disruption to them,” he said.
“The short extensions to some of the traffic regulation orders are standard on any construction project of this nature and there is absolutely no threat of delay to the overall programme.
“In this instance the extensions are caused by unforeseen circumstances beyond our control, such as the discovery of a collapsed Victorian sewer.”
The city council is currently considering hardship funding for traders impacted by the scheme amid claims footfall had been reduced to a trickle.
Mr Simkins added: “In delivering this transformation there is, of course, a period of disruption for businesses, residents and visitors.
“But we are striving to keep this to a minimum and would urge people to remain patient as the long-term results will be hugely beneficial for all.”
Tory councillors in the city have called for an inquiry over the management of the scheme after businesses said trade had suffered.
Councillor Ellis Turrell, vice-chair of the council's scrutiny board, said the delays would be "very disheartening news for hard-pressed businesses".
"Once again, a major council project has hit delays and inevitably increased costs too," he said.
"A full inquiry into the whole pedestrianisation project is desperately needed, so that the council can learn the lessons and try to get the city centre back on its feet."
A number of city schemes have been hit by delays in recent years, including the Metro extension, the Civic halls revamp and the Westside project.
