Dudley King Street move has failed shops, say traders

Many shopkeepers in King Street say the upheaval caused by roadworks associated with the project has resulted in them having one of their worst-ever Christmas periods.

They claim the changes have so far failed to deliver the increase in trade they had been expecting.

Dudley Council launched the project, to open up the street to all vehicles at the end of last year. Previously the street was only open to buses and taxis.

However, Roy Jevons, who owns Roy Jevons Music, described traffic management as being chaotic since the roadworks were finished, with cars parking all over the place.

He said: "We only had about five days before Christmas when we were open, which was difficult. To be honest with the three months run up to it, we had our worst Christmas for 42 years, but that was to be expected to a degree because of all the upheaval.

"No one could get down the street, no one could get up the street."

Paul Millward, manager of UNO Furniture, said his company had also had trading difficulties as a result of the roadworks, adding that at one point the fences for associated with the project were coming up to his window and preventing customers from going in.

"We have had no rush of customers. It was the biggest waste of time doing it. They have spent all that money for nothing," he said.

Martin Marston, owner of Woodside Crafts, said confusion over parking is causing him to lose out on trade.

He said: "We are still waiting for the bus stops to be put in. Because they aren't there, people are parking where the bus stops should be and the buses are going to the next stop and we are not getting the trade off the buses yet.

"Hopefully, within the next couple of weeks our trade will pick up."

However, Dudley Councillor Kurshid Ahmed said the changes needed to be given more time, claiming January is traditionally a quiet time on the high street,

He said he had received a lot of positive feedback about the new system, particularly from taxi drivers pleased that traffic flow had improved.

He said: "Generally, the feedback we have got is that very many people are very pleased with King Street reopening. There is more car parking in the area and there should be more flow, there is more traffic."

The project has also included the creation of eight new on-street car parking spaces to attract passers-by, the reorganisation of the existing lay-by so taxis can use itto facilitate taxi use, a new raised area to assist pedestrians crossing and significant improvements to traffic signals at the Hall Street junction with Hall Street.