21 October 2023 , 11:39
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A frustrated bakery owner has blasted a council for delays over road works that are badly affecting businesses and she claims "Christmas is basically ruined for us".
Frankie Dyer, the owner of Barbakan bakery, in Chorlton, in Greater Manchester, says that customers are now visiting less frequently, staff have left due to reduced hours, and delivery vehicles are struggling to gain access.
And it is due to roadworks for the £13.4m Chorlton to Manchester Cycleway commissioned by the council. It is part of the city-region's Bee Network, which aims to encourage safe cycling and walking with over 1,800 miles of routes and 400 miles of Dutch-style segregated bike lanes.
The works began after a consultation found 73% in favour. They've been ongoing since February and are being done in phases but some traders say that the construction has led to fewer customers as work continues past the original September end date.
A four way traffic light system has been in place most of the year (Manchester Evening News)Frankie says she has noticed a 20% decrease in footfall since work began outside her bakery four months ago. Currently, there are five sets of roadworks on Chorlton's main roads - Manchester Road, Barlow Moor Road and Wilbraham Road. She says she was told by the council that they would tackle one section at a time, with each part taking up to five weeks to finish.
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"All four corners seem to be blocked and a four-way traffic light system has been in place for most of the year," Frankie told the Manchester Evening News. "There have been weeks where the roads were closed but no workers were present. There have been a series of issues causing delays, but no one is being held accountable for the fact that there have been no workmen on the streets of Chorlton for months at a time. All of this is having a massive, negative impact on our business."
Manchester Council has admitted that the project has been delayed due to issues with underground works on the Four Banks, which have caused disruption. "Of course, we sympathise with anyone experiencing disruption due to this work but as with any major infrastructure project there may be delays or issues that arise during its course," a spokesperson for the Council reportedly said.
Shop owners have said that their businesses have been affected (Manchester Evening News)"The underground's works around Four Banks were particularly difficult to navigate and as a result there has been disruption. In order to repair voids found under the service it was imperative to take the extra time to ensure the final road layout was safe. However, the works are on course to be completed by the end of the year, only slightly behind the original end date of September, supported by additional work crews the Council has assigned specifically to ensure that it is completed on schedule."
Frankie said businesses are now "fed up" with the situation. She continued: "People come from all over Greater Manchester to shop here - people aren't cycling in here from Bolton. We tell people 'good luck' when they ask us where to park. I've had to reduce staff hours, some people have left because we can't give them enough hours."
"After trying to recruit and train good working staff up and then, through no fault of our own, not being able to give them enough hours is just devastating. This should be our busiest time of year but it's just been dead."
The road works are not expected to be finished until December 22 (No credit)Frankie says she was involved in the consultation phase of the project and voiced her concern over aspects planned at the time. While she appreciates the cycle way will encourage more people to ride bikes into the area, she is concerned about parking spaces for those who can't cycle, as well as how staff and suppliers can easily get to the premises.
"If you're going to dig up a road, you should have the manpower to do it within the time frame you said," she explained. "They have taken away dozens of car parking spaces and not given us an alternative when there's the same amount of, if not more, drivers on the road. There have been times when we haven't been able to get deliveries because our wagons can't get down the road or park here. Our bins haven't been collected on numerous occasions."
Manchester Council stated that the initial consultation phase of the project made it clear that some parking bays would have to be moved or removed due to the new cycle lanes.
How the lay out is expected to look when it is finished (No credit)A council spokesperson said: "This is directly linked to a new policy set out by the Council at the beginning of the year, which put bold strategies in place looking at how we could accelerate the city's transition to more environmentally friendly modes of transport."
Frankie claims her attempts to discuss her concerns with the council have been ignored. She was also recently told that work will continue outside her shop until December 22. "It's just a kick in the teeth after everything we've had to go through in the last few years as businesses," she said. "This is just something that we did not need to have to endure. And to say that it will be going on until December 22 is just a devastating blow. Christmas is basically ruined for us."
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A spokesperson for Manchester City Council said: "The Manchester to Chorlton Cycleway has been a hugely transformative project, showing the scope and ambition of the Council's wider plan to improve walking and cycling routes throughout the city.
"Beginning last year we have engaged with residents and businesses to explain the works timeline, as well as address concerns or questions. Introductions were also made with the contractor who were able to provide day-to-day updates if required. And, Council staff engaged with concerns raised through the Chorlton Traders Group, as well as passing information down to local ward members."
"We entirely appreciate how stressful major infrastructure works are, and as ever, we appreciate the public's patience shown throughout the year. Before this project began the Council published a consultation which set out to residents and businesses which were proposed, as well as allowing them a chance to comment on any potential issues. It was made clear that a number of parking bays would have to be removed or relocated to ensure that cycle lanes could be properly installed."
"This is directly linked to a new policy set out by the Council at the beginning of the year, which put bold strategies in place looking at how we could accelerate the city's transition to more environmentally friendly modes of transport.
"Of course, we sympathise with anyone experiencing disruption due to this work but as with any major infrastructure project there may be delays or issues that arise during its course. The underground works around Four Banks were particularly difficult to navigate and as a result there has been disruption.""In order to repair voids found under the service it was imperative to take the extra time to ensure the final road layout was safe."
"However, the works are on course to be completed by the end of the year, only slightly behind the original end date of September, supported by additional work crews the Council has assigned specifically to ensure that it is completed on schedule."
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]