Sinkhole road reopens after being closed for months

Queen's Road reopened to traffic on Sunday

A road in Nottinghamshire has reopened after being closed for 10 months due to sinkholes.

Queen's Road in Newark was shut in April 2023 when multiple sinkholes appeared.

Nottinghamshire County Council expected it to open last summer, but severe rainfall and weather conditions caused delays to the repair work.

Businesses said they were glad the road had reopened, but expressed frustration at how long it had taken.

Matthew Coupland said he finally felt like his garage was "back open for business"

Gary Moores, who owns a tyre shop on the road, said: "During the closure, we weren't getting any passing trade. People couldn't reach us.

"I congratulate them for completing the repairs but it took far too long. It should have been put right in the first place."

Matthew Coupland, who runs a garage on the same stretch of road, said: "During the first six weeks of the closure, we lost out on £10,000.

"The phones have been ringing lots since it opened. People know that we're here again.

"We aren't getting any compensation for our losses, but we feel like we're finally back open for business."

Neil Clarke, cabinet member for transport at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: "This has been a very challenging project and the complexity of the repairs wasn't helped by the weather over recent months.

"I've shared residents' frustration in the time this has taken, but the safety of workers is paramount. I thank them for their patience."

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