HAMPSHIRE County Council said it would work to mitigate the impact of road closures after concern from business owners.

As the council’s contractors go full steam ahead with the second phase of the town’s £27m relief road, South East Water needs to divert water mains, which means the closure of the Firgrove Road-A325 junction and part of Oakhanger Road.

The county council said every option had been looked at to avoid disruption and closing the roads was the only feasible choice.

But some businesses fear that, with customers unable to easily get to their premises, trade could fall.

Danny Maines, managing director of Autodan LTD, on the Bordon Trading Estate, told the Bordon Herald that “without a doubt” the road closure will “damage” his business.

The Firgrove Road junction with the A325 closed on Monday for one week, during which time there is no access into or out of Firgrove Road from the A325.

But most contentious is next week’s plans to close Oakhanger Road between Hogmoor Road and Budds Lane for five weeks, starting on Monday.

In the run up to these closures, county council representatives visited businesses which might be effected.

But despite assurances offered to him, Mr Maines described the closure as “unacceptable” because its “effect on the businesses this side of the closure will be significant”.

“I understand that this work needs carrying out to build the new relief road but there must be a better way than closing the road for five weeks to all traffic,” he said in an email to the council.

“Most of our business is local, as is the business for the other service industries this side of the closure, and therefore the main route they use is Oakhanger Road.

“It is human nature to take the easy route and if the proposed closure goes ahead a lot of our custom will go elsewhere as it is less hassle than detouring around the closure.”

All this, he said, would “create a possibly unrecoverable loss of profit for our company and many others in the area”.

His suggestions to close the road to heavier vehicles or control flow with traffic lights were not taken up .

The response he received from the council said that South East Water needed to lay two water mains in a trench of “significant depth and width” which will effectively take up all of one lane, meaning that traffic passing nearby could risk the “structural integrity” of the road and maybe even the collapse of the trench.

He was told that there was “no statutory grounds” to claim compensation for any loss in profits.

But Mr Maines said such a decision would be “for a court of law”. “If the businesses affected feel there is a case we will club together and take Hampshire County Council to court,” he wrote.

The council’s executive member for environment and transport Rob Humby said all options had been considered in an attempt to keep the road open in some capacity. “I appreciate that the Oakhanger Road closure will be inconvenient and I would like to reassure all local businesses and residents that we will do all we can to minimise disruption,” he added.

“We have explored lots of different options to see if the road could be kept open, but to ensure the work can be carried out safely, within the required timescales by South East Water and for the safety of passers by, a road closure is the only option.

“We are working with all the businesses at the Bordon Trading Estate and surrounding area to ensure we mitigate any impact on their business. This includes a clearly signed diversion route which will be monitored throughout the closure; specific signs directing people to the trading estate and local businesses; granting South East Water extended working hours to enable the work to be done in the shortest timeframe possible, as well as investigating taking out adverts in the local paper to remind local residents that businesses are open as usual.

“We will be closely monitoring these works and should there be an opportunity to open one side of the road towards the end of the closure, we will do so.”

The council said it would monitor noise levels to ensure “local residents are not disturbed by the works outside normal working hours”.

It will ensure diversions will be clearly signed to the Bordon Trading Estate, Chocolate Frog Tea Rooms and Oakhanger village.