Rothbury councillor calls for Coquetdale businesses to be given a helping hand during road closure

Cllr Steven Bridgett had raised concerns that the closure of the B6344 road at Todsteads for landslip repairs could potentially damage retail and tourism trade over the coming months.

Repair works are scheduled to start on April 3 and last until June 2024.

“I would like electronic information / directional signs placed along the A697, informing people that Rothbury and Coquetdale is still open for business,” Cllr Bridgett wrote in a letter to council leader Glen Sanderson.

“As with the Cragend land slip in 2013, where there was an easily evidenced impact on tourism and local footfall, this latest closure (on the same section of road) has the potential to do exactly the same.”

He has also asked that shops and businesses in the area receive a business rate discount for the duration of the closure.

Cllr Sanderson agreed that ‘effective communications and signage’ was needed.

The complex scheme to tackle the active landslip on the stretch of road between Weldon Bridge and Rothbury is estimated to cost £9.3m.

The landslip is caused by the complex geology of the valley and is an extremely difficult site to repair, due to the physical constraints of the site and the environmental requirements when working closely to the River Coquet.

A comprehensive ground investigation involving deep boreholes was carried out in 2021.

Following that, design works have been completed by specialist consultants and contractors to come up with a long-term solution for the landslip.