GAZETTE & HERALD: BUSINESS people in Calne are dismayed by news that the Wood Street road works will not be completed until April.

Originally it was suggested the road works could be finished by the end of February, however, that has been extended by a decision by Wiltshire County Council to resurface the road and footpaths all in one go.

This news has caused traders to worry about their future due to a loss of trade since the road works began.

Bill Jackson, owner of Shirley's World of Flowers in the High Street, said: "I have not got enough money to pay my rent. It's almost closing us down and it's like that for all the businesses here.

"I understand the BP garage is losing around £40,000 a week. This is almost shutting the top of the town down.

"For small businesses it's diabolical."

Mr Jackson, who says he was not consulted on the plans, said he might look for compensation once the road works are complete.

"I cannot do anything until I have got a complete set of figures to compare this year to this time in the last four or five years," he said.

"Speaking to the normal people in the town as I do, there's not a single person who thought it was a good idea or thought it enhances anything."

Coun Richard Stigwood, who owns Centre News in High Street, said getting compensation would be like "getting blood out of a stone".

He said he was hoping the work would be finished sooner than has now been predicted, adding that signs saying the shops are still open are not enough.

"I was hoping they would get the road works done and open the road as soon as possible," he said. "The longer it goes on the harder it's becoming.

"Three of the main business seasons regarding the smaller shops, which are Valentine's Day, Mother's Day and Easter, will be gone by the time the road opens.

"I think they could work a little quicker or put some more man-power into doing the work. May be work weekends.

"That may cost Wiltshire County Council a bit more but it saves all of our profits.

"Fortunately it's not causing me as many problems because I am on the main A4 but we do need Wiltshire County Council to pull their fingers out and get it done."

A spokesman for Wiltshire County Council said originally an eight week closure was agreed but the longer period now would stop more road works in the future. "While the traffic calming will be completed within four weeks, a decision was made to make use of the rest of the agreed closure to resurface the road and footpaths," said the spokesman.

"This will avoid having to come back a second time and make a further four week closure for resurfacing."

Coun John Ireland, who says he has been against the plans from the very beginning, said: "It's destroying the town centre. People are avoiding it now.

"I think it could have a lasting impact on the businesses of the town centre. I hope it does not."

The road works are due to a new 20mph scheme that aims to make Calne town centre more pedestrian friendly.

The scheme includes on-street parking in Wood Street, wider pavement areas, enhanced street lighting, a safer pedestrian route into town from Curzon Street, and a new roundabout at the Oxford Road and Pippin junction.