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‘Sewage work draining profit’

23/ 1/2008

SHOPKEEPERS fear essential repairs to sewer pipes could put them out of business.

United Utilities say they must close Sunnyside Road, Droylsden for up to six months to replace the old sewers, which can no longer cope with heavy downpours like those experienced this week.

But traders who own businesses on the busy road say the loss of passing traffic will put a serious dent in their profits.

Debbie Murphy, who runs Pennydrop News, said: "A lot of my money is made in the morning between 6am and 9am. But there’ll be no buses coming up Sunnyside so no-one getting off the buses and coming into the shop.

"I’m worried that in six months’ time I won't be here any more."

Shopkeepers tried to reach a compromise with United Utilities to keep the road partly open.

Doste Mohammad, owner of Dolly Tub launderette, said: "I don’t think we’re going to get any work. I have all these big deliveries of football and rugby kits and I’d have to park miles away. And then there’s all the elderly people who aren’t going to be able to walk all the way to the shop."

United Utilities is spending £1.3m replacing old sewers along Sunnyside Road from Cypress Road to the junction with Chappell Road with new, larger pipes.

A further stretch of sewer will be replaced along Hampshire Road up to the junction with Cypress Road. The roads will be closed at different stages during the scheme and traffic restrictions will be in place.

Project engineer George Finegan said: "Large scale sewer work like this can be disruptive because it involves digging up wide sections of the road.

"We hope residents and traders will be patient while the work takes place and we’ll do what we can to minimise inconvenience."