Streets mains pain
The disruption caused by gas mains work in Balderton is set to continue for another five weeks.
Businesses and shoppers have been hit by the latest phase of National Grid’s mains replacement programme on Main Street.
Although current work on a 500m-long section between the Turk’s Head and Sykes Lane is nearing completion, the work will then move from this junction to outside St Giles’ Church.
This entire stretch, up to the church, was originally due for completion this week, but a change of contractor and engineering problems have been blamed for the delay.
The work, part of a national scheme to replace metal pipes with plastic ones, means temporary traffic lights are in place as there is only one lane.
After this phase, further work on another part of Main Street is expected later this year.
This week the manager of Banks’ greengrocers, Mrs Hazel Pond, said the work, part of which is directly outside the shop, had caused particular problems with deliveries.
Delivery vehicles were having to use the carpark at the neighbouring Methodist church.
“The most inconvenient thing is the fact that there is no parking for residents or customers of the post office and ourselves,” Mrs Pond said.
She said it was frustrating the work was taking so long.
The work has been outside her shop since March 10.
The owner of Beehive Unisex Hair Salon, Mrs Sue Peck, said there was not enough room for vehicles to pull in and drop people off.
“We have quite a few elderly customers and some who cannot walk and they just can’t get to the salon at all,” Mrs Peck said.
“I am lucky that I have another salon on London Road and some have gone there instead.”
The minister at Balderton Methodist Church, the Rev Richard Hooton, said there were difficulties with a funeral.
He said the hearse had to park on Wesley Close opposite the church and the coffin was carried across the road.
“It was not the most dignified way to do it,” Mr Hooton said.
He said weddings were due to take place next month and a large concert featuring the Cantamus choir was being held at the end of June, when 250 people were expected to attend.
The chairman of the parish council’s amenities committee, Mr Ray Hind, said the disruption was causing difficulties for people using the church and for those who shopped locally.
“It is causing quite some concern for businesses,” he said.
Mr Hind said most of the houses on the section where work was taking place did not have off-street parking.
He said the problem was made worse by a decision to stop public parking at the Turk’s Head.
The site’s new owners, Mr Jonathan Newman and Miss Jane Watters, of Newman Watters Veterinary Surgery, Bowbridge Road, Newark, said the decision was because of the inconsiderate behaviour of some carpark users.
Mr Hind said a lot of people were using back streets off Main Street to avoid the work and this had a knock-on effect for people there.
There have also been problems reported with the temporary traffic lights.
Mr Hind thought that because of the length of the section of road the timing of the lights was sometimes wrong.
A spokesman for National Grid said the new pipes would be more flexible, could carry a higher volume of gas and would last for 80 years.
“It is a case of short-term pain for long-term gain,”she said.
“As far as we are concerned there are no reports that there has been a problem with the traffic lights.”
