BUSINESSES in Stourport are bracing themselves as the full extent of roadworks in the town from September through to November have been announced.

Worcestershire Highways, Severn Trent Water and Central Networks are working in partnership to carry out work to renew a water main, install an electricity cable and put in new street lighting.

The work will be broken down into three phases, with the aim of causing minimum disruption to traffic.

The first phase will run from 6.30pm on Friday, September 18 until 7am on Monday, September 21, when Severn Trent Water will be replacing the water mains pipe on Vale Road. To do that, the road will have to be closed between the Gilgal and Worcester Road. The second phase of the work will involve closing the Gilgal for five weeks, from Monday, September 21 until Sunday, October 25.

The third phase will be on Mitton Street and will last for four weeks, from Monday, October 26 until Sunday, November 22. To complete that final stage of the work, one of the two lanes in Mitton Street will have to be closed.

Trader, Pete Roberts, owner of Petes Prints in Bridge Street, said: “We are all worried. It is better for us now that the works are beginning in September rather than August but we would all prefer them to be in January. We will just have to grin and bear it and hope people stay loyal to the town.”

He added: “I have been here for 28 years and I can’t remember any major roads being closed for such a long time.

“I don’t know whether it is such a good idea to close something so vital to the town for so long.”

Conservative, Derek Prodger, Worcestershire County Council’s cabinet member for transport and safe environment, said: “We have agreed that the best solution is to work together and in as short a timescale as possible.”

Fraser Pithie, senior operations manager for Severn Trent Water, added: “We firmly believe that this partnership approach is the best way to get the work done and secure a more robust and reliable infrastructure for our customers in and around Stourport."

Phil Wilson, customer operations manager for Central Networks, explained: “These works are necessary to maintain a safe and reliable power supply in Stourport and the wider area.”