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Zoar Street Closure Confusion
The four week closure of the main approach into Gornal centre got off to a shaky start today (29/7/02).
At 9.30 this morning there were signs at 5 Ways Island saying that there was a diversion in place, but no
signs signalling the alternative route down Summer Lane. In the absence of this information, anyone continuing down Church
Street found no further instructions except for a vague workman's hand gesture indicating that one should head down
Redhall Road.
Drivers who took the Summer Lane option were surprised to see a large sign in Abbey Street offering no diversion advice but
instead telling us to sort our own route out! (see photo, left).
To add to the fun, anyone heading up Abbey Road to the closed street saw, instead of a sign saying that a diversion
was in place, one saying the opposite: 'Diversion Ends' (see photo, right). Unsurprisingly given the latter sign, many vehicles
simply ignored the roadworks and continued to use Zoar Street.
Fears of huge jams in Abbey Street did not come to fruition today as it appeared that many cars were giving the whole
village a wide berth. The shopping centre was eerily quiet for much of the day; traders are uncertain how much of this is due
to the roadworks, and how much is down to the usual summer holiday exodus. Further slack trading in the days to come
will be sure to increase calls for compensation to local businesses for loss of revenue caused by the roadworks.
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