Peterborough retailer warns business could be 'badly damaged' by year-long £5 million roundabout transformation works
A trader in the heart of Peterborough fears business could be ‘badly damaged’ by expected traffic disruption on a major road junction in Peterborough.
Tapas Chatterjee, the co-owner of leather goods and jewellery retailer Talicha, in Cowgate, says news that the traffic flow around the Queensgate roundabout is to be reduced to a single lane for nearly a year, is a blow.
He said: “We should have been told about this.
"Business could be badly damaged if the works are to go on for a year.
Mr Chatterjee added: “It could affect us badly. We should have been told about this.”
His concerns echo a number of worries voiced at a meeting of local business people in the city centre yesterday called to discuss the impact of the works on the roundabout which is a junction for two major roads and has access to multi-storey car parks, the train station, bus station and loading area for Queensgate Shopping Centre.
One business manager, who did not wish to be identified, told the meeting that her fear was staff would simply go to another employer if travelling to work became too difficult.
She said: “We might not have any staff left by the end of the year.”
Paul Stainton, executive head of marketing and communications at Peterborough Cathedral, asked why the local authority had not thought to organise a park and ride service for the duration of the works.
Neil Simon, interim head of regeneration and growth delivery at Peterborough City Council, told the meeting at the Wildwood Restaurant, in Cathedral Square, that the Queensgate roundabout would be closed overnight on July 5 while necessary signage was put in place and reopen on July 6 with the lane reductions in place where they will remain for about 40 weeks.
Afterwards, Pep Cipriano, chief operating officer of Peterborough Positive, which oversees the city’s Business Improvement District, said: “There is going to be some pain for some long term gain.
"It's about being patient, but more importantly, it's about speaking to us as a business improvement district to get the information traders require to understand how to operate their business as best they can during this difficult period.
"But it's going to be a period that is going to last a while.
"We know it's been in the news a long time.
“We knew it was coming.
"We just need to work together collectively to make sure it works in the best way it can for everybody.”