Letchworth fish and chip shop owner hits out at roadworks giving his trade a battering

Roadworks at Arena Parade in Letchworth (Image: Archant)

Roadworks taking place in Letchworth on the pavement kerb stones opposite Arena Parade should have finished on Wednesday, July 23, having started two days earlier.

However, to the frustration of Mick Cox, who runs Cox’s of Letchworth on Arena Parade, the work Ringway are doing on behalf of Hertfordshire County Council is now expected to finish today.

The three signs which originally stated that work would finish at 5pm on Wednesday, July 23, have now been altered with a black marker pen to confirm the new finishing date of Thursday, July 31.

Mr Cox said: “I only expected it to last for three days because of the signs, but because it has taken longer it has been a big hit on trade for me.

“There is a horrendous noise which my customers have to experience when they’re sitting down to eat. Their vehicles are also taking up a strip of the car parking spaces between the town hall and Arena Parade so I’m getting less customers.

“I think it is taking longer because they needed to get a specialised type of concrete but I don’t know why they didn’t make that judgement when they estimated how long the job would take in the first place.”

Ringway Regional Director Jerry Pert said: “The footway works on Arena Parade began on July 21 and were originally scheduled to finish on July 23. However it has taken longer than anticipated to remove the concrete that was already in place and the works have been extended until July 31.

“The works signage would normally have been updated and we apologise for the oversight in not doing this, the delay in completing the work and the disruption it causes and would like to thank residents and traders for their patience.”

Ringway are delivering a programme of work this summer with approximately 300 road maintenance schemes planned.

This includes the resurfacing of 175 roads countywide, the maintenance of 75 footways, seven traffic signal or pedestrian crossing refurbishments, two bridge refurbishment schemes, and 13 highway improvement schemes.

Cabinet member for Highways Terry Douris said: “Summer, with the reduced flow of traffic and hopefully better weather gives us the perfect opportunity to maintain and improve Hertfordshire’s roads. This is work that is crucial to keep motorists, cyclists and pedestrians on the move throughout the county.”