Locals up in arms after disruptive drainage works in Bromborough

Tracey Lewis, owner barber Alcatraz close on Acre Lane, Bromborough, where roadworks are currently taking place.

On September 9, a section of the road was closed off to vehicles due to drainage improvement work being carried out by Morris Homes.

Mrs Lewis said: “We are sick of not being properly informed.”

The sentiment is shared by many locally.

The work was only supposed to last six weeks, but it’s still going on.

Around a fortnight ago, part of the closed off section was reopened, but this has not ended the disruption.

Most of the customers at Mrs Lewis’s barbers are disabled or autistic, she describes her business as a “community barber”.

These drainage works have hit her hard.

Before they started, her shop had a disabled parking space, this was crucial in enabling customers to get to the business.

But Mrs Lewis said this was taken away as part of the work and she was not warned about it.

She added: “The impact on the community is massive. My oldest customer is 96-years-old, he can’t make it in without the disabled bay.

“[Since the partial reopening] customers can get to us now, but parking is very limited. The minibus used by the autistic society has to park on a dangerous junction.

“I’m losing trade left, right and centre. We’re just a community barber, we depend on passing trade.”

A few doors down from the barber is Kam’s Continental Takeaway.

Kam, who runs the takeaway, also depends on passing trade to keep his shop going.

Kam told the LDRS his takings are down by 20-30% since the road closure began, that is a huge number for a small, local business.

He said: “Until recently customers couldn’t come anywhere near us on Acre Lane. They still can’t park near our shop.

“Old pensioners who used to park close to the shop don’t come in anymore.

“We also lose all the passing trade from in the evening. It is the little things that have disappeared, people who may come in and pay two or three pounds each, which might take £30 a week away from us.

“That’s a big difference for a small business.”

Traffic and noise pollution have become a “nightmare” in the area since the work began, in the words of one woman from Bromborough.

A number of people commented on a local community Facebook group.

One of them, Joan Griffiths, said: “[This works creates] big disruption for me as I live in the cul-de-sac [on Acre Lane] and sometimes I can’t get out.

“Cars on the left parked don’t help the situation either. I have to think which way I’m going to work due to traffic.”

Another member of the group, Gail Daly, said: “This is such a pain having to drive all the way round.

“It looks like they are using the road as a storage area now, [but it] needs to be open. We pay our rates for this road.

“They ask us to reduce pollution, how can we when we have to drive twice the distance to get off the estate?”

Gemma Rose summed up local concerns, she said: “Noise, road disruption, excess traffic around surrounding areas!”

Liberal Democrat councillor Phil Gilchrist has spoken to locals and contacted Morris Homes in an attempt to get more clarity on the situation.

A Morris Homes spokesperson said: “We’re sorry that these necessary works have caused some frustration. This type of work can, in some cases, take longer due to unforeseen circumstances but the road is expected to reopen by December 11.

“We make every effort to communicate with the local community when we undertake works of this nature and have sent a number of newsletters prior to commencement.

“We have parking allocated on site for all of our contractors and we have ensured the disabled parking is still accessible.

“Whilst there are further works planned for the new year we will of course be notifying the community of expecting timings then.”

A spokesperson for Wirral Council said: “The drainage works currently closing off a section of Acre Lane to vehicles as part of the Stanley Gardens development by Morris Homes are ongoing.

“The Council are monitoring progress of works to ensure the road is reopened at the earliest opportunity.

“Council officers have been working closely with the developer and their contractors to minimise further disruption to residents and businesses. We have also worked closely with Merseytravel to ensure bus services are maintained at all times.

“While other phases of the work will continue into the New Year, Morris Homes have been instructed that on completion of the works, the highway must be restored, with all debris removed and road markings made visible as required by Wirral Council.”