Local shop owners in Truro face disrupted deliveries and reduced customer footfall due to ongoing road closures for gas work.
The road closure started in January and will last until May. Kenwyn Street is closed in sections, and Little Castle Street and City Road are also affected. Customers avoid the area, and delivery trucks can’t reach the shops easily. Some shop owners feel they are paying the price.
Matthew Hurst, who owns Three Rivers Furniture, said deliveries are a huge problem. Trucks can’t get to his shop, which has been happening for weeks. He now meets drivers miles away near the train station or in a distant layby, which is not convenient at all.
The street closed on January 2nd, when people could still see his shop. Now that Little Castle Street is shut, customers can’t find his store. Some customers tried to visit but gave up at the barriers. One person even had to take the bus, resulting in a trade decrease of about fifty percent.
Deliveries are hard to arrange, and fewer people are walking by. Wales & West changed sections, yet businesses still feel affected, as many older customers avoid closed roads. The gas work should finish in May.
Tourists can’t easily find shops, and Andy Pascoe, who runs Modern Music, says the work hurts trade. He thinks his takings are down fifty percent. The road work is progressing slowly, and some sections are not reopening yet.
Helen Swift, owner of Archie Brown, agreed that deliveries are difficult. Regulars still try to support her shop, but other customers stay away because it is closed. Rosemarie Carpenter, who owns Bonython Bookshop, is angry about the gas work, because delivery vans refuse to deliver, and parcels arrive late, some by weeks. She opened on a Sunday to get stock, but her trade fell by thirty percent.
Shelley Johnston, who sells CBD oil at Quintessential, said her regular customers still visit, but passing trade has stopped completely. Her colleague said the truck made too much noise and suggested a full closure. Cassio Perente, who runs Native Grain Bakery, said his shop is closer to town, so people can walk there more easily.
David and Suwannee Wilson, who run a Thai food store, also have delivery problems. Mr. Wilson said the workers are helpful, but Wales & West’s timeline was wrong, as they said three weeks, but it has been seven. Mr. Hurst plans to claim compensation and thinks the form will be hard to complete.
Abby Smith manages the project for Wales & West and knows the work is disruptive, but she says it is essential to keep gas flowing to homes and businesses. She added that the upgraded network is ready for greener fuels. Wales & West consulted with the council and agreed on traffic management.
Different road closures were planned, including Kenwyn Street and City Road closing (Jan 20 – Feb 20), Little Castle Street closing (Feb 3 – Mar 3), and another Kenwyn Street closure (Feb 3-Mar 3). Further traffic plans are coming.