Traders protest as town hit by more delays to traffic

The three-week work, to replace damaged flagged footways around Selby Abbey, will mean two major roads are partially shut to traffic throughout the day.

It follows on from a major programme of repairs on two of its main arteries that brought the town to a standstill earlier this year and left the Selby Toll Bridge shut for 14 weeks.

The closure led to dozens of businesses across Selby lodging appeals with the Government for a reduction in rates amounting to tens of thousands of pounds due to the gridlock.

Now traders have reacted angrily to the latest announcement.

Andrea Puliga, owner of Capri restaurant, based near the Abbey, said: “It has been a bad year to be a business in Selby.

“It has been a nightmare already and this latest announcement will again affect our business.

“You would think they could have planned these repairs at the same time.

“During the economic climate we need all the help we can get.”

The northbound lane of New Street and part of The Crescent will be closed between 9.30am and 4pm for three weeks from August 30. Diversions will be in place although the road will remain open to buses.

Coun Karl Arthur, county councillor for Selby, said: “If we do not repair the flagged footways in the near future they will become even more damaged and therefore potentially hazardous to pedestrians.”