Exclusive by Alan Quick

FROM Monday, January 25, South West Water will be carrying out essential repairs to the main sewer system in Crediton resulting in part of Crediton High Street (A377) being closed for four weeks.

While this is happening, SWW, Crediton Chamber of Commerce, Crediton Town Council and businesses in the town emphasise that access to the High Street will be maintained for deliveries and shoppers.

The section that will be closed to all through traffic will be on the High Street, at the top of Market Street.

There will be works happening at other locations between the East Street/Charlotte Street junction to Western Road/St Lawrence Green junction, however South West Water have confirmed that access to the High Street will be maintained for vehicles and pedestrians.

There will be additional signage advising the public that all businesses are open as usual.

Deliveries will still be able to access the High Street, however, they will not be able to drive through the High Street as their access will be blocked at the junction of Market Street, due to the works being undertaken.

COMMUTERS

SWW is advising businesses to contact their suppliers to make them aware of the road closure and advise them that the High Street is accessible for deliveries but that a usual route may not be possible.

Commuters travelling through Crediton will not be able to travel through Crediton High Street and so will need to follow the diversion signs, which includes a one-way system.

Approaching from the Copplestone direction, heading to Exeter, motorists will need to take a left at Barnstaple Cross and use Higher Road, Jockey Hill, Blagdon and the new Link Road.

Approaching from Exeter, motorists will need to take a right at Tesco roundabout and take the new Link Road, Blagdon, Jockey Hill and Alexandra Road.

SHOPPERS

Shoppers and visitors are reminded that the High Street will have full pedestrian access.

If you are driving, you can still drive down to the High Street and park, however, you will not be able to drive through the High Street as your access will be blocked at the junction of Market Street, due to the works being undertaken.

If you cannot find a parking space on the High Street you can park for one hour, free-of-charge, in St Saviour’s Way car park. You must obtain a ticket from the machine for the one hour free parking.

Market Street car park will be business as usual, so don’t forget to pay!

BUSES

As buses cannot travel through the High Street, there will be temporary bus stops located at either end of the High Street at QE School in Western Road and in East Street.

Towards Crediton (Westernlea) or Copplestone - after serving Station Cross, services will divert onto East Street, and via Mill Street, Blagdon onto Jockey Hill, then onto Higher Road, and Alexandra Road to Crediton Hospital.

Route 5 only will continue up to the QE School traffic lights and resume normal service. Routes 5A, 5B and 5C will continue to the hospital to resume a normal line of route.

Towards Exeter Route 5 from Westernlea will divert onto St Martin’s Lane; service will stop just after the lights. Routes 5A, 5B and 5C will serve the bus stop outside QE School, then continuing on St Martins Lane, onto George Hill, Higher Road, Jockey Hill, and onto Blagdon, and Mill Street to resume a normal route from Charlotte Street.

For further information regarding bus routes please contact Stagecoach on 01392 427711.

A spokesman for SWW said that the company would try to minimise the disruption caused to the public and businesses while completing the works.

The work will involve in Crediton High Street, reconstruction of a failing manhole chamber within the highway, various excavation on collapsed sections of the sewer network, installation of new manhole chambers to facilitate future cleansing accessibility and lining works through sections of damaged sewer network. The works in the High Street are on the higher side of the High Street camber (same side as the St Saviour’s Way junction).

In Western Road there will be work to repair the collapsed section of sewer network pipe.

In East Street/Charlotte Street there will be the construction of a manhole chamber within the Southern footpath and the carry out slip lining and lining works through damaged sewer pipework and the replacement of damaged pipework.

The works are due to be completed by February 21.

Businesses wishing to apply for compensation after a loss of profit from the effect of the works can find out more information at: http://www.southwestwater.co.uk/index.cfm?articleid=11669&searchkey=compensation claim form .