Caerphilly’s Labour politicians have called for urgent action over the disruption caused by gas main works in the town centre.
AM Jeff Cuthbert and MP Wayne David have waded into the row after town centre traders said the closure of Cardiff Road was choking businesses.
Mr Cuthbert has raised the issue with the Welsh Government.
He said: “A number of concerned residents and traders have contacted me recently about the on-going road works in Caerphilly town centre.
“The council says it has given residents and traders sufficient notice of the disruption but local people and traders that have contacted me dispute this strongly. So perhaps the Council need to review their communication policies at the very least.
“I urge the council to do everything in its power to speed up both sets of road works so that this disruption is brought to an end as soon as practically possible.
“I have also asked the Welsh Government to look into the matter and work with the Council to ensure such massive and inconvenient disruption does not happen again.”
MP Wayne David has called on Wales and West Utilities, which is carrying out the work, to “speed-up”.
He has written to the chief executive of Wales and West Utilities asking if necessary additional manpower and equipment will be allocated to the Caerphilly works.
He said: “These gas works are squeezing the life blood out of Caerphilly town centre. The Local Authority should not have agreed a timetable which causes so much disruption over such a long period. That is why I am asking Wales and West Utilities to conclude their work well before the 10 week deadline agreed with the council.
“I also hope that traders will contact Wales and West Utilities and seek compensation for the significant loss in trade which they are experiencing. It is simply not fair that local business people and the public are having to experience such a scale of disruption over an unacceptably long period.”
A spokesman for Wales and West Utilities said: “We have not yet received any correspondence from local MP Wayne David regarding our work in Cardiff Road, Caerphilly. When this is received we will respond accordingly.
“Our work in the town is essential to bring improved safety and security of supply to local homes and businesses. We anticipate the scheme will take between eight and ten weeks to complete.”
This would never have happened if the Tories hand't sold off the utilitiy companies. Get Labour back in and sort it out.
Get Cardiff Road closed permanently and turn it into a pedestrian precinct. And why blame the Council? Typical Utilities Company who can do what they like, it’s called statutory powers!
Mr. Scott is partly right, I think essential services such as gas, electricity, water and railways should be nationalised. No good looking toward 'New' Labour to do anything about it though, they had 13 years during which time the leaders cuddled up to the super rich and the banks.
Clem Attlee, Nye Bevan and Keir Hardie would be aghast at the policies pursued by Blair and his cronies.
Why not ask the AM to push the Welsh Government to pass on some of the 40million just received from Westminster to help out in such circumstances.
Wales and West Utilities do have a compensation scheme subject to qualification for business that are disadvantaged from their work the number to call for a pack is 02920 270653.
George' comment on pedestrianising goes way back to the 60s and is an interesting one, but not the current thinking. Readers can always contact local councillors to discuss further…..COME ON WALES…
Cllr. Fussel puts the suffix "Come on Wales" at the end of each comment he makes now. I share his sentiments but this does bring to mind Mabon, the famous Welsh trade unionist. Every time his argument was being bested he would break out in song, usually our national anthem,to deflect the argument.
Why were the roadworks on the A469 Cardiff Road allowed to be conducted during a period when roadworks at the A468 Trecenydd roundabouut were also planned. These are the two main roads through Caerphilly. Allowing them both to worked on at the same time is ludicrous.
It is ubundantly clear that the ongoing roadworks in Caerphilly Town Centre are having a devastating impact on local traders. I welcome Wayne David's call for extra manpower as this will speed up completion of the work being undertaken. This crisis affecting local people and businesses has to be put firmly at the door of the Plaid Cymru led Council and the St. Martins Ward members.
I do find it incredible that Councillor James Fussell continues to trivialise this serious matter with his COME ON WALES comments. The match on Saturday has nothing to do with the problem of the gas roadworks and i'm sure most people would expect alot better of such a senior political figure in the area.
Most contributors on this issue appear to consider the matter to be very serious indeed, for both the towns residents and the shopkeepers of the town.
But there also appears to be a worrying trend by Plaid Cymru supporters to castigate and trivialise those constructive and correcting contributions made by residents of the town.
I often wonder if these contributors, who support this totally unacceptable situation in the town, actually know what is going on. The fault for this situation rests with Caerphilly Council, and the people who run it, i.e. County councillors, who need to get a grip.
Stop doing what Jeff, (contributor on this site), says they do well, i.e. organising second rate street lights for Christmas, make them something worthwhile or cancel them all together, and stop making an annual attempt to shatter the windows in my home, frighten my dog to death,and blow up the ducks in the Castle grounds, every 5th of November, blocking up the residential streets in the process.
Get a grip on Council Business, which is what they are paid a lot of money to do.
Even if all the shopkeepers had been informed, it does not alter the situation.
Actually, Phil Evans, it would have made a huge difference if Shopkeepers had been properly consulted on these issues, they could have made a major contribution to the way the works are carried out, they could have suggested ways to speed up the process, and they could have collectively indicated when the best time, for them and their trading patterns, was to carry out the works.
None of this was done of course, and to add insult to injury, in July,a full three months ago, a Caerphilly Council Committee, The Caerphilly Town Center Management Committee, decided to lobby Wales and west Utilities because they were concerned that the works in Cardiff Road and mountain Road did not conflict with three events in the town, one being the Big Cheese, the second being the Bike Race, and the third being the Proms in the Park, this committee is held under the Vice-Chairmanship of none other than the Towns Ward Councillor,and Cabinet Member, County Councillor James Fussell who has generally washed his hands of the current situation by saying it was a matter for Wales and West Utilities as to when they scheduled the works. Not so, the lobbying by his committee was responsible for the position the shopkeepers and the residents of the town now find themselves in, and the delays to these works by the Contractors. Minutes of the above meeting are available on the Caerphilly council Web-Site.
All i hear are arguments to or for who is responsible, when is someone going to sit up and listen to the major ratepayers in the town centre. people are avoiding caerphilly, shop takings are down across the board by 60-85%
working hours are being cut to try to limit the damage jobs will go next, our employees reply on their jobs to pay their mortgages etc., We cannot all be wrong the strength of overwhelming feeling is indicative of the size of the problem. many of us are surviving on minimum profit margins as it is, we will not be able to sustain this crisis for long. someone stand up and be counted be proactive not reactive delay this until after christmas – traditionally a quiter time of the year.
a new slogan for Mr james fussell.
instead of COME ON WALES why not FUSSELL THE MUSCLE
Muscle in mr f and sort this out you will be a hero
"
COME ON FUSSELL THE MUSCLE"