BY IAN ROSS

FRUSTRATED car dealer Robert Burns claims roadworks could cost his family's business tens of thousands of pounds in lost petrol sales.

Burns Garage in Congleton is one of the town centre's major petrol stations, and fuel sales make up a significant part of its business.

Those sales are set to be hard hit by work to refurbish a gas main in Canal Street, one of the main gateways in and out of the town.

Canal Street was closed on Tuesday morning to allow the Transco work to go ahead, and could remain shut for three weeks until the job is completed.

Motorists still have access from High Street to the petrol station forecourt at Burns Garage, although the owners expect the roadworks to badly hit passing trade.

A roadway has been created to the main building, customer car park and servicing area through the car display area because of the roadworks, which have forced the closure of the other entrance.

Canal Street was closed on safety grounds because it was too narrow to cater for the roadworks and a lane of traffic.

The roadworks will mean a major detour for motorists, in particular people from the Canal Road and Mossley areas who drive into town via Canal Street.

People who normally drive up Canal Street to the War Memorial Hospital will have to go up Park Lane, right at Mossley crossroads into Leek Road and down Canal Road.

Diversion signs have been put in place by Congleton Borough Council to alert motorists of the alternative route in and out of town.

However Tuesday's road closure caught out many drivers, and police officers were on hand to redirect traffic heading down Canal Road.

"The roadworks are a major upset at the start of a new year when you hope to get off to a flying start," said Robert Burns, after sales director at Burns Garage.

"We take tens of thousands of pounds every week in petrol sales, which are a consistent and significant contributor to our business.

"We are going to lose a lot of that business due to the road closure, because although we are open as usual people do not like to be inconvenienced.

"We are going to provide every service to the best of our ability, and understand we are not eligible for compensation because of the level of our turnover.''

Borough engineer Derek Sewell acknowledged the work would cause disruption, but stressed Transco would be working seven days a week to complete the job as quickly as possible.

After finishing at Canal Street Transco is to move on to Lawton Street, Bank Street, Park Street and Kinsey Street, to carry out the next stage of the gas main refurbishment.