Nottinghamshire County Council explains delay to road reopening in Newark town centre

A road which had been partially closed for almost a month has reopened, with Nottinghamshire County Council explaining the delay to road works.

The road had originally been closed to fix a sink hole but a subsequent gas leak meant that a larger hole had to be dug to repair this.

Whilst the road works were ongoing, shops and companies on Kirkgate felt that the partial street closure was costing them business and didn't know when they would be completed.

Martin Carnaffin, Nottinghamshire County Council’s Contract Manager for Highways, said: “We understand the frustration caused to members of the public and businesses on Kirkgate in Newark and we are pleased that the road is now open again.

“We had reports of a number of holes which were repaired alongside the ground surrounding them.

“However, a gas leak was then discovered which required Cadent to excavate to make their necessary repairs.

“Unfortunately, during these excavations, torrential rainfall caused further collapse and left the surrounding ground to become unstable, leaving us no choice but to keep the road closed.

“Specialist engineering teams and machinery were required to repair the area, which took place earlier this week.

“Whilst we are aware of the inconvenience caused to local residents and businesses, our priority was always to ensure that the area was kept safe, and an effective repair was made for road users.”