Major road reopens in Longridge after sewer pipe works completed

People were unable to park outside their homes and businesses saw a significant drop in footfall whilst the closure remained in place alongside Inglewhite Road.

Works on the 'complex repair' were finally wrapped up by United Utilities workmen on September 15, prompting the temporary road closure and diversion to be removed.

Businesses celebrated its completion last week, but some say they are going to try and seek compensation to make up lost profits due to the decreased footfall.

Emergency works first started being carried out by the council on July 20, after a large sinkhole opened up along the busy route in Longridge and was expected to only last a few short days.

But further investigation revealed that the depression was due to a sewer pipe collapse that required immediate attention.

>>> READ THAT STORY HERE.

It was the second time since last year that the ground had crumbled and needed emergency road closures in place along the same stretch of road.

A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We would like to thank the local community and motorists for their patience during our work on Inglewhite Road.

“It was a complex repair and during the road closure we deemed it sensible to complete some additional work to provide further resilience to the sewer network in this location.

"The road is now back open and we will continue to monitor the sewer, which is currently fully operational.”

Joanne Bailey, of Gary Rowles Butchers said that footfall had significantly dropped when the sinkhole reopened and that the business was seeking compensation options for profits lost.

She said: "We are definitely looking into seeking compensation because our business took such a hit in the first few weeks. Our custom had dropped by probably around 30 per cent and it was a really stressful time.

"We didn't know what was going on and hadn't really been informed of anything. We kept getting told the roadworks would be moved and then they didn't.

"We are so glad it has finally reopened again after all that time and everything is back to normal. Custom levels have gone back to what they were before and we are so pleased."

Other businesses also raised concerns about the impact of the closures on business, with local bakery business owner Ashley Noblett previously saying she had 'lost half her business'.

And discount store Anji's Emporium had to plead with road users to stop using its car park as a shortcut to avoid the diversions earlier this month.

>>> READ THAT STORY HERE.

Lancashire County Council confirmed that the roadworks were moved on September 15, and that the highways team had facilitated United Utilities in closing the roads during the works.