Ringwood A31 year-long roadworks will be devastating, firms say

Julie Astley-Weston (centre) says the festive season is usually the busiest time for businesses

Business owners in a market town who are struggling to recover Covid-related losses fear major roadworks there will have a devastating impact on trade.

Work to widen the A31 at Ringwood, on the Hampshire-Dorset border, is due to start in November and last a year.

Traders and residents predict "chaos" and say the timing could not be worse as the festive shopping season approaches.

National Highways said it was expecting a "reasonable level of disruption".

The £25m scheme will create a third lane on the 0.6-mile (1km) stretch and involves building two new bridges over the River Avon and Bickerley Mill Stream.

Two new bridges will be built over the rivers at Ringwood

A contraflow system will be in place from January to November 2022. The slip road on to the westbound carriageway will close from next month.

Julie Astley-Weston, who owns Love to B skincare shop in the Furlong Shopping Centre, said: "Like most companies we take probably 60% of our annual takings in November and December.

"To close those roads in November is crazy. Quite often these things often overrun so we are looking at possibly two Christmasses.

"That would be hugely devastating."

David Enright said the roadworks "couldn't come at a worse time"

David Enright, who runs Nava Coffee, fears a "huge" financial impact if customers avoid the area.

He said: "Things are just about picking back up to where trade was, pre-Covid. It couldn't come at a worse time."

Philip Day, deputy mayor of Ringwood Town Council, said: "It's going to be complete and utter chaos.

"The problems have already started - it can take 15-20 minutes, or more, just to get through the lights that are already here."

National Highways project manager Daniel Kittredge said: "We are expecting a reasonable level of disruption, however, it was a case of when this work was going to be done and not if."

Alan Feist, A31 programme leader, said the plans would "minimise impacts on road users".