Wokingham sinkhole works crippling local business, businesses say

Roadworks are in place until December after a sewer collapsed and created a hole

Ongoing roadworks to a sinkhole are "crippling" the local economy, some nearby businesses have said.

On 1 October, a Thames Water tanker was carrying out repairs to a collapsed sewer on Evendons Lane, Wokingham, when a hole opened up beneath it.

Community cafe owner Nic Lander and Rafiq Boukrida, who runs a barber shop, said takings were down.

Thames Water apologised for the disruption and said it would update residents and businesses "soon".

Cafe owner Nic Lander said the roadworks were "crippling" his business

The roadworks are expected to run until the second week of December.

Mr Lander said Kimel Community Cafe, which is on the same road as the sinkhole, would still be £6,500 down on takings even if the roadworks finished on time.

"Having a three-mile [diversion] in place by the council so people can come round to the cafe with no signage is crippling us," he said.

"We're here to help support people that need work and if people can't get to us, we can't support them."

Thames Water's lorry fell into the sinkhole while it was carrying out repairs on a sewage pipe

Mr Boukrida said the one-way system had "trapped" his barber shop business, which opened in June.

"Customers struggle to go into the shop as there is not many roads to go through," he said.

He added his business now sees "half of the customers".

Resident Sandra Carter described the one-way system as "dangerous" as it had led to cars "speeding along the local narrow lanes more".

Thames Water has apologised for the disruption

A Thames Water spokesperson said: "We'd like to apologise for any disruption caused during this time.

"Our teams have been on the ground seven days a week investigating the damage so we can plan and start the necessary repairs."

They added the road closure and local diversion would remain in place during that time, and thanked the local council and Evendons Primary School for their support so far.

Paul Fishwick, from Wokingham Borough Council, said the diversion was a temporary measure for minimising traffic meeting head-on which was a potential hazard and the system was "the safest option at this stage".

"Residents had raised concerns with us about continuing to have two-way traffic on the narrow country lanes while Evendons Lane is closed near Evendons Primary School," he said.

"This would risk forming a bottleneck, with traffic queuing in both directions to get around it but with limited or no space for increased numbers of cars to reverse or manoeuvre safely."