MOTORISTS are being warned they could face major disruptions from today due to the partial closure of one of the town's main roads.
One lane of Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby, will be closed as part of a £3 million scheme to upgrade the electricity supply to the town, which will see 3km of cable being reinforced or replaced.
As part of the scheme, a one-way system will be in place for the duration of the work in Boulevard Avenue, forcing some bus routes to be changed, which has angered some residents.
Buses being diverted until the works are complete include numbers 1, 2 and 20 travelling in both directions.
During that time, they will not serve the following streets:
Lord Street
Corporation Road
Gilbey Road
Elsenham Road
New Haven Terrace
They will divert via Victoria Street, Westgate and the A180.
Resident David Bilney, 71, of Haycroft Street, Grimsby, said: "It is a ridiculous situation.
"The council closed the road two years ago and again just before Christmas.
"I think that proper planning permission should be granted before anything like this happens.
"The residents in the area should get a proper consultation.
"The communication and the co-ordination is not good enough.
"I am not the only one that is not happy about this.
"The disruption with the buses is also not good enough."
A total of 3,500 letters were sent out to people and businesses regarding the work that is being carried out by Northern Powergrid.
Some living in the area said they did not think the works will cause a significant problem for traffic, but did express concerns about parking.
Georgina Medany, 28, of Boulevard Avenue, Grimsby, said: "I don't think it will cause much trouble because everyone in the area has been told in advance.
"I don't think the work is needed right now because we have just had all the gas system changed.
"I am thankful I don't have a car because I think parking will be a problem.
"It also puts people off visiting."
Roderick Stuart, a spokesman for Northern Powergrid, said: "This work is a significant project for us being carried out by our contractor Balfour Beatty to improve the electricity supply within the town.
"Sadly, the existing infrastructure is getting old and needs to be upgraded.
"It's a big job and some disruption to traffic flow is inevitable.
"We have discussed with the council how best to manage this and we've been making every effort to ensure local residents and businesses are advised in advance of the work taking place.
"Public notices have been taken out, letters have been sent to our customers and businesses have been visited.
"During the roadworks, Balfour Beatty is bringing in extra teams to speed up the work to get it completed as quickly as possible.
"We apologise in advance for any disruption this project might cause, but stress the work is extremely important and ensures the electricity supply serving this part of Grimsby is modern and fit for the future."
Further information
For bus timetable information, visit www.traveline.info or telephone Traveline on 0871 2002233.
