Farnborough traders say £13m road improvement scheme is 'killing them'

Business owners say they are struggling to cope with the impact of a £13m scheme to improve roads and install cycle lanes.

They say disruption caused by works around Farnborough town centre has led to a drop in the number of customers.

The roadworks, funded by Hampshire County Council, started in November 2022 and were due to last for 52 weeks.

Traders are calling for more help after the authority announced the works would now take 70 weeks.

Steve Knight's barbershop was the first business forced to close, he said: "The roadworks started and basically crucified us. I'm £100,000 down since last November.

"I've lost a lot and I'm stuck in a lease which I can't get out of."

The county council said the scheme, that also includes the Lynchford Road, Farnborough Road and Blackwater Valley Gold Grid areas, is the "largest and most significant" transport improvement project in Rushmoor and disruption was "inevitable".

Shop owners between Peabody and Morris Road, where bollards are preventing customers from parking, say they're struggling with the impact.

Andy Lunn, who owns Lunn's Bathroom Showroom, explained: "Our trade customers just don't turn up now. Our trade customers predominantly come in the morning when traffic is heavy because it's single lane, narrow."

Councillor Gareth Lyon of Rushmoor Borough Council says the scheme plans changed - instead of an extra lane for cars, there is going to be a cycle lane instead.

He said: "Putting an extra lane in would have made sense and that was what we supported at Rushmoor. A cycle lane is all well enough, but that's not going to ease the pressure on this road."

Archie Ratcliffe of the Federation of Small Businesses added: "The likelihood is that businesses will close and to some degree that defeats the point of having this renewed stretch of road."

Councillor Nick Adams-King of the county council said the scheme was for the "long-term economic success of Farnborough".

He said: "Inevitably, during construction, there will be disruption.

"We are in regular contact with local businesses and continue to talk to them and their representatives about anything further we can do to mitigate disturbance, particularly with Christmas approaching."

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