Uckfield Chamber of Commerce and Uckfield Town Council are considering working together to press for changes to High Street improvement plans.
The two organisations – whose members have voted in favour of returning money to developers rather than proceeding with the scheme as it stands now – are due to meet to see if they can find common ground and a way forward.
Chamber of Commerce president Fiona Monson told Chamber members, at a meeting last night at The Lamb at Piltdown, about hopes that the chamber and council could work together.
She also said a meeting was due to take place with East Sussex County Council, the highways department and the TCR project board in a bid to find ways of reducing the time to be taken on the roadworks, perhaps through night-time and weekend working.
Fiona said: “Hopefully we can have some changes made and have a lovely High Street without eight months of chaos.”
Earlier in the meeting Fiona said the works would have a huge impact on Uckfield and on all businesses in and around the High Street if there were eight months of road closures.
“When there were roadworks for nine weeks last year it was havoc. Traffic jams were horrendous. I don’t see how businesses can survive eight months of anything similar.
“We are not against the idea of doing up the High Street but there have to be changes made to the plans so they are workable for the community in Uckfield.”
Previous stories about Uckfield Chamber and town council votes relating to the improvement scheme can be found here:
Uckfield Chamber members vote to return developers’ money
Town council calls for big re-think on Uckfield High Street works
Read more about the planned improvements here:
September date for final decision on Uckfield High Street improvements
