MAJOR plans to replace 34km of gas mains in Northwich could signal the end for some local businesses, a councillor has warned.

National Grid plans to spend the next year digging up Manchester Road, Station Road, Middlewich Road and Gadbrook Road, in Northwich.

But Rudheath Parish Council chairman Alison Gerrard, who owns Snippets hair salon, in Station Road, said the works could not have come at a worse time for local businesses.

She said: “How do they expect us to cope with that sort of thing when we are in the biggest recession we have ever had?

“It’s bad enough as it is. The town centre is struggling and the traffic on the roads round here is dreadful. Do they not think about what’s going to happen because of this, how it’s going to affect Northwich and the businesses?

“When they did the resurfacing on Station Road, that was bad enough and that was only for one day.

“It makes me feel like they are going to cut Northwich off entirely.”

Lostock and Rudheath Parish Councils say they were not informed of the plans. Lostock chairman Nicola Clarke said simply: “It’s going to cause a lot of problems.”

Bosses from National Grid say that advance warning will be given and diversion routes will be signposted.

John Edwards, of the North West Gas Alliance, said: “The gas pipes which run beneath the streets of Middlewich and Northwich have served us well but the time has now come to replace them.

“We know that this will be a nuisance, but the new pipes are designed to last at least 80 years once we get them in the ground “We will do everything we can to keep traffic moving while we are working and also to make sure local businesses can continue to operate as normal.

“We know that people will obviously be concerned about the disruption but we are appealing for them to have patience with us during our work.

“The short-term pain will be followed by a long-term gain, a safe and reliable gas supply system for many years to come.”