Business at 'risk of closure' amid A41 Newport road repairs

Adrian Slaters said his customers can no longer make their way to his car sales business due to the closure

Business owners say the closure of a road in Shropshire is causing losses and is jeopardising their futures.

A 29-mile diversion route is in place as work to improve the A41 near Newport is carried out.

The road is a lifeline for Adrian Slater, the owner of Marsh Lane Car Sales, who says his company is on the brink of closure as customers struggle to get to him.

Telford and Wrekin Council says the repairs are "essential".

"It's been a nightmare," Mr Slater said.

The busy A41 carriageway, from Forton roundabout to Hinstock, will be closed until at least September as works continue.

The closures and diversion will be in place until 3 September, the council said

The £1m scheme began on 24 July and includes road resurfacing, new drainage systems and upgrades to road signs and lines.

For Mr Slater, the "nightmare" began on day one as his customer footfall "completely died off".

He said: "We're losing loads of money and we now don't have any money to pay the bills.

"We are going to have no option but to close, I can't afford to keep paying staff out of my own money and that's what we're doing at the moment."

Stuart Wilcox said the diversions mean he was paying for more fuel and time for his workers to travel

A 24-hour closure is in place for the works and traffic is being diverted.

The diversion has added an extra 45 minutes to journeys for haulage company PW Wilcox, which owner Stuart Wilcox said was creating unforeseen costs.

"With haulage, time is money - if you don't make it to the drop-off it carries over to the next day and you never gain that time back," he said.

"It is a main road used by a lot of HGVs and vehicles going to the coast, it has a big knock-on effect and is awkward for the villagers."

A spokesperson for Telford and Wrekin Council said they accepted it was a long diversion but they have followed guidance to use similar routes "where possible".

A community meeting is being held on Tuesday to discuss the issue.