BUSINESSES have united to fight plans to once again rip up Stonehouse High Street – just months after the end of a roadworks “fiasco” that cost them thousands of pounds.

After a summer of disruption and lost business trade, traders were this week left furious after discovering that the town would be subjected to another round of major roadworks.

Urbaser Balfour Beatty (UBB) plans to run five miles of underground electric cabling from Ryeford to Haresfield to power the Javelin Park incinerator, and Stonehouse town centre is in the firing line for roadworks.

Western Power Distribution has scheduled the work to start next May and it could take up to half a year to complete.

There are two main proposed routes for running the cabling from the A419 to the B4008.

The first option ploughs directly up the High Street, while the second avoids most of the main shopping area by diverting down Regent Street and across to Elm Road.

Business owners and councillors have said they will fight to protect the area from more disruption and have demanded alternative routes.

Sally Cullen-Bond, owner of The Barber Shop, said it would be a “disaster” for the town.

“More disruption, congestion and roadworks could really hit businesses hard,” she said.

“This will be a disaster for a number of the traders here. Unfortunately I just don’t see a best case scenario. It’s going to have a real effect on the town whichever of these two routes they take.

“We need an alternative that misses out the middle of Stonehouse all together.”

Shelley Bragg, owner of independent bike shop Tarmac and Trail said: “It’s just unbelievable. You couldn’t make it up. I was in total disbelief when I heard.

“Most businesses on the High Street took a big hit over the summer because of the resurfacing fiasco.

“To receive the news that we were potentially threatened with further large scale disruption next summer does make us question whether the high street can survive.

“We won’t have any time to regain some sense or normality and it doesn’t give us any time to restock ourselves or prepare.

“I’m born and bred in the town and I want to see it thrive. I don’t think the authorities know how damaging constant disruption like this is to us traders, to the High Street and to the town itself.”

Ruth Nares, who runs Whole Hearted, added: “To do it during the summer months too would be a real kick in the teeth. It’s the best time of the year for us.

“There is just a real sense of disbelief and helplessness that this can happen to the town again. It’s very frustrating.”

Heather Philpott, who has run The Bay Tree for 13 years, said: “There is no doubt this will affect all of us. We need to find another route which goes around Stonehouse.

“With the banks closing next year, I fear that if the town takes another hit like this the High Street will really suffer. We have to fight this all the way.”

This would be the third time that the town has been effected by major roadworks in just six years.

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Lesley Williams, Labour county councillor for Stonehouse, said: “I could not be more opposed to the proposals by UBB, Western Power and GCC to rip up our high-street.

“As a town we have had to put up with enough already. I also have deep concerns about what effect this could have on residents and commuters in the area, months and months of roadwork’s will undoubtedly cause problems for them too.

“If the people behind the incinerator and at the County Council do not change their proposals then I will make sure that they understand the widespread concern and anger felt over the ripping up of our high-street.

“I want every trader, resident and commuter to write into the County Council to make sure that they know that we do not support their plans, and I will be collecting signatures to make sure that the council knows what a disaster this would be.”

Stonehouse Town Council debated the issue at its meeting on Monday night and is planning to meet with UBB to discuss alternatives.

A spokeswoman said: “The Town Council was shocked to receive news on that Western Power intend to dig up Stonehouse High Street in 2017-18 to lay a new power cable to Javelin Park on behalf of Urbaser Balfour Beatty.

“The exact timing of the works wasn’t specified but may cause some disruption along the B4008 for six months.

“The Town Council continues to press for a solution to avoid further disruption in the town.

“Western Power suggested a route through Regent Street, Laburnum Playing Field and Elm Road which would avoid the High Street shops and newly surfaced shared space.

“The Council will consider the impacts of this on residents and the community centre. A meeting has been requested with Urbaser Balfour Beatty who are currently engaging with other villages surrounding the Incinerator site.”

Town councillor Carol Kambites said: “It was only months ago that traders up and down the High Street suffered from the resurfacing works.

“WPD told us they need to have it ready by March 2018, so they hope to start work in May next year. That’s only six months away.

“This could mean up months of continual disruption in stages along the Ebley Bypass and Gloucester Road and maybe the High Street.

“And we know from experience that means less footfall and less profit for our local businesses.”

Deborah Curtis added: “We need to make it clear that as a council we will do everything we can to stop this from happening.”

Mattie Ross, Stroud District councillor for Stonehouse, said: “I think it’s disgraceful this is happening so soon after the resurfacing works.

“We have to do everything we can to stop this coming up the High Street. I’ll lie down in the road if that’s what it takes.”

WPD plans to source the cabling from the electricity substation in Ryeford near the Ebley Bypass and turnoff to Cotswold Way.

This would then run along to the A419 to the Horse Trough roundabout and up Bath Road, Gloucester Road and the B4008 towards Haresfield.

A spokeswoman for Western Power said: “WPD is currently looking at route options between the two sites and is currently working with the customer to finalise all the details, following which a start date will be scheduled. She stressed no final route had yet been chosen and engineers were looking at different options.

UBB said: “As part of the construction of Gloucestershire’s Energy from Waste facility, we require grid connection for the supply of a small amount of electricity to the facility but more importantly, for the export of 14.5 MW of electricity to the grid. This connection will not be needed until 2018.”

Phil Cameron, traffic manager at Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We understand from WPD there are various alternative routes, and whilst we have to allow utilities companies to carry out works by law, we’re pushing for as little impact on Stonehouse High Street as possible.”

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The first option (pictured) ploughs directly up the High Street, while the second avoids most of the main shopping area by diverting down Regent Street and across to Elm Road

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