MAJOR road works set to last six months have started in the centre of Petersfield.

And this week contractors and traders have been working to ensure that disruption will be kept to a minimum and shoppers will not be deterred from using the town.

PetersfieldÕs High Street is set to be made one-way until June to allow road works to be carried out.

And Hylton Road will be closed for a period over the Easter school holidays for traffic calming measures to be introduced.

But Hampshire County CouncilÕs message will be clear Ð Petersfield IS open for business.

Traders were told of the proposals at a breakfast meeting with county officials last week.

They were told that work would begin on the High Street in early February, as soon as work on The Square had been completed.

The work in the High Street, including widening and resurfacing the pavements and introducing courtesy crossings, will be carried out in small sections to minimise disruption to businesses and traffic, and a one-way system will be introduced in February to allow the work to be carried out.

The improvement works, originally scheduled for completion in April, are now likely to run on into June.

Jon Merrick, Atkins project manager, told traders that this was due to two main factors.

ÒThe project is longer than envisaged, partly due to work around The Square which took longer.Ó

Contractors will also be carrying out additional drainage work in the High Street.

Mr Merrick told The Herald: ÒIt makes sense to do it

now. They are in need of maintenance work. If we do not

do it we might have to

come back in an emergency.Ó

Under the proposed one-way system, traffic will not be allowed to turn into the High Street from Dragon Street, and will be diverted via College Street, Station Road and Chapel Street.

But before work begins on the first section outside The Herald offices, contractors will have to finish work in The Square that was scheduled for completion last year.

Contractors are currently working outside the library and a small section of the road has been closed.

Once complete they will move onto the area outside Lloyds Bank, where 24-hour traffic lights will be put in place to allow work to be carried out safely.

Mr Merrick explained to traders that they would normally continue with traffic lights along the length of the High Street, but he believed that

the one-way system was the best option.

ÒThis will involve closing access to the High Street at Dragon Street, effectively

creating a one-way street,Ó

he said.

ÒIt means there will be far more space available for parking and deliveries.Ó

ÒTemporary access will be provided to shops at all times so your customers will be able to get in and out.Ó

Jon Merrick told The Herald: ÒIt is really important for businesses to have their access maintained. The businesses are the lifeblood of

the town.Ó

ÒIt is important we work together Ð it is business as usual.Ó

Signs will be erected on roads into Petersfield informing people of the road works in the High Street.

But county officials stressed that these signs will also state ÒBusiness as UsualÓ.

Town councillor George Watkinson, who attended the meeting, raised fears that the one-way system would create tail backs in the High Street if cars were held up trying to turn right into Dragon Street.

But Mr Merrick said that diversion signs would advise all traffic to turn left into Dragon Street and follow the diversion route around Tor Way if they wanted to travel towards Portsmouth.

He added that if tail backs did become a problem they could instigate a ÒNo Right TurnÓ into Dragon Street.

The High Street works will be split into eight sections, with work starting at the Dragon Street end on the

north side.

Contractors will work progressively up the north side of the road as far as Rams Walk.

Then they will continue down the south side, finishing outside Somerfield in June.

In late June the High Street will be closed for a short period to allow resurfacing to take place at night.