A LOCAL councillor has vowed to support business owners who have been ‘bearing the brunt’ of yet another Yorkshire Water leak with workers seemingly not in attendance.
Earlier this week, a water leak on Everill Gate Lane forced Yorkshire Water to close the road, with large parts of the network fully submerged within water.
There are a number of businesses in the area all of which have been affected by the flooding in one way or another.
Shaun Pickles, who owns Barnsley Hot Tubs, says it’s frustrating that little has been done to support the businesses and is concerned that there are no signs out saying business is open as usual.
He told the Chronicle: “No one can get down this road.
“It’s been completely blocked off.
“No one has been working on it either since it was reported.
“There’s no drainage on the road because it’s in a bit of a dip and we’re worried that it could even leak into the buildings.”
Due to the lack of signage, business owners have said that they’re losing customers many of whom would have to make a two-and-a-half mile detour to even get onto the site.
“Last week we sold an item for £25,000,” he added.
“But there’s no way we can do that now with this going on.
“We’re losing all the people just coming in on an impulse as well.
“It’s really annoying.”
The situation is even more frustrating for those affected given that Yorkshire Water has announced a drought in the region.
Coun Kevin Osborne, who represents the area, told the Chronicle that the water company must act and fast.
He said: “I visited Everill Gate Lane to assess the impact of the ongoing water leak on the local community.
“During my visit, I engaged with several business owners who have been struggling due to the road closure and the subsequent diversion that directs potential customers on a two-and-a-half mile detour.
“This diversion has significantly affected their businesses, causing a noticeable drop in foot traffic and revenue.
“It is disheartening to see that residents and businesses are once again bearing the brunt of yet another water leak.
“This situation is particularly frustrating given that Yorkshire Water has declared a drought in the region.
“The recurring issues with water leaks in our borough not only disrupt daily life but also exacerbate the challenges faced by our community in these already trying times.
“Yorkshire Water must address these infrastructural problems promptly and efficiently to prevent further inconvenience and economic distress for both our residents and business owners.
“I urge they to take immediate action to resolve this issue and ensure that future occurrences are minimised.”
A Yorkshire Water spokesperson said they were planning to sort the leak yesterday evening.
They added: “We experienced a burst on our clean water network on Everill Gate Lane this week, which we are aware has caused some surface water flooding on the road.
“We apologise for the disruption this has caused.
“Our teams will be attending this evening (July 3) to begin a repair.
“We thank everyone in the area for their patience while we carry out the work.”
