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A businesswoman says she has been left with no choice but to partially close after access to her workplace was cut off, and her pleas for help from Traffic and Highway Services and the contractors were ignored for more than a week.
Iris and Dora is on the Ruette Braye which is currently closed.
Denyse McGahy who owns the studio space and shop was told that there would be access to her premises from either the top or bottom of the road while resurfacing and utilities work was happening - except for a few days when the road would need to be fully closed and she would then not have any access to her business for a short while.
However, since the road closed earlier this month Ms McGahy, her staff, and customers have faced daily battles to reach Iris and Dora.
Pictured: The Ruette Braye at 14:00 on Wednesday 21 February. The sign might say 'access to Iris and Dora' but the road was impassable.
The situation reached an upsetting climax on Wednesday morning when Ms McGahy was left in tears following what she described as another confrontation with contractors working in the road, who she says she has found intimidating at times.
"When I arrived this morning, the sign says to come in from the bottom but I couldn't get in at all. So I went round to the top where it says no entry - access from the bottom. I persevered and went through because somebody else did, I got as far as I could, and then I had to get out. I walked over to loads of men with trucks and loud machinery and asked if they would mind moving, and then you have to justify it when they tell you 'you can't get out, you won't be able to get through' - but there's a business halfway between and you're blocking access."
She said she has had to ask the contractors to let her through so she can get to work every day since the roadworks started on 12 February and on occasion the road has been totally blocked, preventing her staff and customers from reaching the premises at all.
Ms McGahy understands that the work is vital but she doesn't understand why she was promised access to her business would be maintained with work at the top or bottom of the road, and never both at the same time, yet she is having to continuously battle to get through.
"They gave us lots of notice and we did our normal and rang them, 'don't forget, put signs out please, make sure there's clear signage so our customers can find us' because we're off a long drive on a bend on a hill, not in town. We're not the easiest to find anyway, so (we asked them) 'please make sure if you're diverting people that you're putting good signage'.
"The letter did say that there's going to be a point where they're going to close (the road completely) so again they gave us plenty of notice. We told them that we're closed on Sundays and Mondays, so please can you do the closed bit then? But before then, it just closed. I touched base with Traffic and Highways again and I was told categorically that they will be working at the top of the road and that it won't affect half term, because that was the worry. They said they were not going to be working at the bottom, categorically only working at the top and it won't affect you, and they won't work at the top and the bottom at the same time."
Ms McGahy said it feels like no one is co-ordinating the road works as whoever she has spoken to, at either THS or the individual contractors, has told her to speak to someone else.
"In the first week, half term, (a contractor) came along and blocked and dug up our driveway without asking us, and access was blocked from the bottom of the road and the top of the road.
"When you try and speak to them, they say 'oh, it's not us, you don't need to speak to us, it's (a contractor) or it's Traffic and Highways Services or it's someone else'."
Pictured: The States website shows that the Ruette Braye is currently closed for resurfacing, but other contractors are also working in the road.
"I came in this morning, and I had that thing with the man at the top and I said 'you know, I've been guaranteed by your supervisor that my customers and my staff can get in' well (a staff member) only came in 10 minutes behind me and she couldn't get in. He had told me literally 10 minutes before that she could, and they've done that every day," she said.
The constant challenges in gaining access to their workplace has meant that Ms McGahy has decided to close for the bulk of the time while the road is closed.
She will be open for the regular after school clubs run at Iris and Dora and other bookings but otherwise she's counting the cost of the lost access and is closing as customer numbers have dwindled dramatically since the road was closed.
"...we are going to have to close, we're not even halfway through. It's planned for four weeks so we're closing the rest of this week, but we'll open in the evenings and for kids' clubs.
"Traffic and Highways are saying 'we guarantee you will have access to your business from one end or the other at all times', and that's not happening, even with a sign there."
Ms McGahy said the constant access challenges are taking a toll.
"...people shouldn't have to (ask the contractors to move), and my customers shouldn't have to. When I arrived this morning there was literally no access, the same applies to fire engines and ambulances and that is not clear, is it?"
Pictured: The Iris and Dora studios and shop is down a driveway off the Ruette Braye, adjacent to the Best valley.
Traffic and Highways responded to Ms McGahy's requests for help on Wednesday with a member of staff from THS calling her and visiting the area.
Phil Ogier, Manager – Roads & Traffic Management, said:
“When we carry out road resurfacing, wherever possible, we plan to ensure our contractor maintains access to homes and businesses, but we also explain if there might be times when access won’t be possible, particularly when works are taking place directly outside a property or the new surface is being laid.
“Our Highways team have been in contact with Iris & Dora regarding customer access during these works and have visited the site. In the interests of co-ordinating roadworks, there have been occasions when other contractors have been on site in Ruettes Brayes, but this has been with an understanding that access would be maintained to the business. Signage is in place to assist those needing to get to Iris & Dora and we’ve spoken with our resurfacing contractor to remind them of the importance of maintaining access as per the agreed plans.”
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