From the Bristol Evening Post
A Businessman says his company will be "ruined" when part of a road in Patchway is closed for repairs.Les Weston is the area manager for Tyres Direct UK, based off Gipsy Patch Lane, which will be partially closed for four weeks while maintenance work is carried out to the road and to a railway bridge above it.
But Mr Weston says he has not been properly consulted by South Gloucestershire Council, which will be carrying out drainage and resurfacing work to the road from Monday.
He says much of his business comes from passing trade, which will all be diverted when the section of Gipsy Patch Lane is closed.
Staff have questioned why the work cannot be done at night, to avoid closing the road during the day.
Mr Weston said: "I only heard the road was closing through the grapevine.
"It's unfair because it means we will have no passing traffic - when people know the road is closed they won't come up here.
"It will ruin us and we are annoyed at the lack of consultation."
While the council carries out the roadworks, Network Rail will repair the bridge and a new roundabout will be installed for improved access to the Rolls-Royce site on Gipsy Patch Lane.
All the work will be done simultaneously, to minimise disruption to motorists and residents.
Tyres Direct UK is based in Pegasus Park, just off Gipsy Patch Lane. The company's account manager Sandra Bisby, who also lives locally, said: "The bridge does need to be repaired and no-one can argue with that, but this business will come to a standstill.
"With consultation maybe we could have prepared for a reduction in business and local people with a better understanding may have suggested alternative routes."
Stuart Phillips is a taxi driver from Yate who is based at Parkway Station. He says the partial closure of Gipsy Patch Lane will result in customers missing trains and important meetings.
Mr Phillips, 61, said: "It will take an hour to get passengers to Aztec West, an hour to get back and it will cost them ú20 instead of ú9.
"That means there will be horrendous queues at Parkway Station and we, the taxi drivers, will get the blame."
Mr Phillips also said a private road through Parkway will be used as a shortcut by motorists eager to avoid the diversion.
He said: "It will look like a car park and I don't understand why the council is allowing it to happen during the day."
South Gloucestershire Council spokesman Matthew Rees said the roadworks were essential.
He said work could not be carried out at night because much of it involved repairing holes in a narrow stretch of road under the bridge which could not simply be covered during the day.
Mr Rees added: "A small section of Gipsy Patch Lane is to be closed for approximately four weeks to allow essential drainage and resurfacing works to take place.
"The road surface around the 1950s bridge has needed repairing for some years because it leaks.
"The council is working closely with both Rolls-Royce and Network Rail to ensure all three organisations carry out their works simultaneously, so as to cause the minimum disruption to road users and local businesses."