An eight-week closure of a road that runs through the heart of Greystoke has hit businesses hard, it has been claimed.
The B5288 – the main road between the village and Penrith – was closed for two months to connect properties on the new Story Homes Greystoke Fields development to the sewerage system. Works had originally been planned to last six weeks.
Villagers believe that closing the road was not necessary as a waste treatment site sits behind the development, next to Woodside Caravan Park.
They claim that Story Homes could have installed a pumping station to divert waste there.
But the company responded by saying: “In the early stages of planning Greystoke Fields, we applied to United Utilities (UU) for a point of connection for the surface and foul water.
“We have worked with UU to establish the closest connection point to minimise disruption.
“The Woodside Caravan Park was not an option for foul water disposal as this is a rising main; the sewage is pumped under pressure from a local pumping station and is not feasible for foul waste connection from the site.”
During the closure businesses reported a drop in takings and motorists were forced to use less-safe country lanes.
Parish council chairman Roy Fisher said: “I cannot express how strongly the community in Greystoke feel regarding the road closure – we feel gutted with delay after delay.
“With locals using the back roads instead of the designated route round by Motherby and Penruddock, at least five red squirrels have been run over and killed on the Greystoke Gill road.
Ben Mandale, who runs the Boot and Shoe pub with his wife Jan, estimated his income has been down by 50 per cent compared with previous months. Having not been able to open fully for 18 months due to COVID, the landlord complained that the peak summer season had been lost.
“The whole village is fed up. It’s the worst state the pub has been in for the 14 years I’ve been here.”
He said he had complained about the diversion signs, calling them “absolutely useless”. He added that people who had booked ended up being late or cancelling due to signage.
Andrew James, owner of Greystoke Stores, said businesses takings had been down by 15 to 20 per cent. He said the usual passing trade has been non-existent, although locals and visitors had softened the blow.
“To close the road for weeks and weeks in the middle of summer has had a terrible impact.”
With the official diversion via Penruddock adding three miles to the route from Penrith, many motorists used the back roads through Blencow or Greystoke Gill, with reports of people speeding through the mostly single-track rural road network.
Story Homes said it had encountered ground conditions that couldn’t be anticipated, and the depth of work had reached in the region of seven metres, which had impacted its progress.
“Unfortunately, this resulted in a delay to the programme and as such, we had no choice but to extend the closure for public safety.
“We are working to minimise disruption to the B5288 wherever possible.”
