ANXIOUS businesses in Highcliffe reliant upon evening trade have expressed their concern about dwindling footfall while vital road improvements take place through the village.

Signs telling people that businesses along the A337 in Lymington Road are still accessible by foot after 6pm while the essential road repairs are taking place have only just gone up, two weeks after the work started.

At a traders’ meeting with officials from Christchurch+Borough+Council">Christchurch Borough Council and Dorset County Council earlier this month, traders expressed their concerns about the evening work, but were reassured by the county council, which is carrying out the improvements, that measures would be taken to lessen the impact.

The village is open as usual during the day with Christchurch Borough Council providing free parking in Wortley Road car park from 5pm for the duration of the work as well as free parking in Somerfield car park.

James Backhouse, owner of Berties fish and chip shop, said: “It’s awful. They have only just bothered to do the signs. They have done nothing to say that there is pedestrian access to the high street.

“We requested certain things to make it easier on the traders at a meeting with Dorset County Council before it all started but these were not fulfilled and it has made a difference.

“I’m currently down about £3,000 a week and this is part of our busy season, when the older people come to the area on a late holiday. It’s incredibly frustrating.”

Kieran Norum, one of the managers of O’Reilly’s in Lymington Road said: “It has definitely been quiet. The problem is that they haven’t put the ‘road closed’ signs away during the day and it’s put people off.”

Lesley O’Neil, chairman of the business association repeated the message that the village was open day and night and urged people not to avoid Highcliffe.

Cllr Alan Griffiths, leader of the council said: “I have been up in the village every night this week and repeatedly requested from Dorset County Council that the ‘road open’ signs are there.

“We had signs specially made saying businesses are open with pedestrian access and I have been told that they are now in place.”

A spokesperson for Dorset County Council said signs had been placed at various locations and turned after each night’s work.

They added: “We are endeavouring to get the work done quickly and efficiently while minimising disruption as much as possible.”

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