Gas works will 'affect business', says butcher

A major upgrade to a gas main will mean diversions for motorists.

Wales and West Utilities is due to begin work around Bishops Hull Road and Silk Mills Road in Taunton on Monday.

Phase one will run until the end of June and will see road closures on Bishops Hull Road and Comeytrowe Lane, with two-way traffic lights on Stonegallows and Wellington New Road from 27 May to 13 June.

Tom Parker, who owns the village shop and butcher, has been told the work will begin outside his premises. "It's going to affect business a lot, with the road closure," he said.

"I think it's going to cause general chaos... if customers don't make the effort, it's going to do serious damage to my business."

Mr Parker added the works come at the same time as rises to National Insurance contributions, increases in minimum wage and bigger energy bills.

"Those are going to stay the same whether we have lots of business or we have not a lot of business, so when we don't have so much business, it has a huge affect on the viability of our business and put a huge amount of pressure on us."

Phase two is due to begin in mid June and will see intermittent closures on Silk Mills Road until the project is completed.

The work will see older metal pipes replaced by more durable plastic ones that are better suited to carrying greener gas.

The project involves a £357,000 investment and is part of a broader, multi-million-pound, 30-year gas pipe investment programme across Wales and the South West of England.

Related work has already been carried out in the centre of Taunton and Chard.