WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Dame Harriett Baldwin has urged the county council to carry out a swift u-turn to help save Malvern businesses from losses through the winter trading period.
Worcestershire County Council has pressed ahead with plans for a major road closure along the A449 in Malvern which will see the major link to Herefordshire and the Malvern Hills shut until next April.
The MP has called for the introduction of a one-way traffic system and longer working hours to speed up the delivery of the project.
The work has been scheduled for the winter period, but work will only be able to proceed during daylight hours to protect local bats. The work schedule also allows for a stopping of work entirely during the Christmas period.
Businesses are already reporting a serious impact on trade and the MP has written to Worcestershire County Council to share the impact assessment it carried out on the local economy as a result of the closures.
Dame Harriett said: “I have heard evidence from local businesses, including one major supermarket, that takings are down in Malvern and this major road closure is already having a serious impact on the local economy.
“I am extremely concerned that the council carried out no consultation or an impact assessment before scheduling the work and the bizarre choice to put bats before business beggars belief.
“Now I’m told that the work will shut down for the Christmas period adding extra delays to the re-opening so local people will have to suffer longer than necessary.
“I have once again asked for the county council for the assessment documents it must have prepared before making such a major road closure but so far, the responses have been opaque.
“The council also needs to immediately implement a one-way traffic system, revise the work plan and ensure longer periods of work to speed up the delivery of this project.
“The county council should be all it can to protect hard-working business people and at this late stage, ensure that common-sense solutions are in place to allow people to cross the hills to do their shopping in Malvern.”
