logo
Major gas works in Taunton set to cause road closures

Major gas works in Taunton set to cause road closures

BBC News31-03-2025

A major upgrade to a gas main will mean diversions for motorists.Wales and West Utilities is due to begin work around Bishops Hull Road and Silk Mills Road in Taunton on Monday.Phase one will run until the end of June and will see road closures on Bishops Hull Road and Comeytrowe Lane, with two-way traffic lights on Stonegallows and Wellington New Road from 27 May to 13 June.Tom Parker, who owns the village shop and butcher, has been told the work will begin outside his premises. "It's going to affect business a lot, with the road closure," he said.
'Huge amount of pressure'
"I think it's going to cause general chaos... if customers don't make the effort, it's going to do serious damage to my business."Mr Parker added the works come at the same time as rises to National Insurance contributions, increases in minimum wage and bigger energy bills."Those are going to stay the same whether we have lots of business or we have not a lot of business, so when we don't have so much business, it has a huge affect on the viability of our business and put a huge amount of pressure on us."Phase two is due to begin in mid June and will see intermittent closures on Silk Mills Road until the project is completed.The work will see older metal pipes replaced by more durable plastic ones that are better suited to carrying greener gas.The project involves a £357,000 investment and is part of a broader, multi-million-pound, 30-year gas pipe investment programme across Wales and the South West of England. Related work has already been carried out in the centre of Taunton and Chard.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UK unemployment rises to highest level since 2021 as job vacancies fall
UK unemployment rises to highest level since 2021 as job vacancies fall

Daily Mirror

time2 hours ago

  • Daily Mirror

UK unemployment rises to highest level since 2021 as job vacancies fall

Experts have blamed a slowdown in the jobs market on a tax and cost increases for employers announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in the autumn Budget Britain's jobless rate has surged to its highest level for nearly four years, with wage growth dropping. Some experts blamed the slowdown in the jobs market on Chancellor Rachel Reeves for landing firms with higher costs amid evidence that employers were holding back on hiring. ‌ Figures from the Office for National Statistics showed the rate of unemployment jumped to 4.6% in the three months to April, up from 4.5% in the three months to March and the highest level since the three months to July 2021. ‌ Average pay increased by 5.2% between February to Apri, down from 5.5% in the previous three months period, and the lowest since July to September last year. The data also revealed how public sector workers are getting bigger pay rises than in the private sector - at 5.6% versus 5.1%. Most workers are still seeing wages rise faster than inflation, meaning they should have more money in their pocket - at least in theory. The easing in wage growth, while a setback for workers, is seen as important for the Bank of England when deciding when next to cut interest rates. However, the figures also provided more evidence of cracks appearing in the labour market. The estimated number payrolled employees decreased by 55,000 between March and April, with an even bigger 109,000 drop in May, although the ONS urged caution about reading too much into the number as it was prone to revisions. Meanwhile, the estimated number of vacancies fell by 63,000 to 736,000 in March to May. ‌ Liz McKeown, director of economic statistics at the ONS, said: 'There continues to be weakening in the labour market, with the number of people on payroll falling notably. Feedback from our vacancies survey suggests some firms may be holding back from recruiting new workers or replacing people when they move on.' Alice Haine, personal finance analyst at wealth manager Bestinvest by Evelyn Partners, said: 'UK pay growth eased back in the three months to April as businesses grappled with the full force of Chancellor Rachel Reeve's National Insurance rate hike for employers and the minimum wage increase at the start of that month. The jobs market showed signs of strain as the changes, first announced by the Chancellor at her maiden Budget last October, went live.' ‌ Suren Thiru, economics director at the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, said: 'These figures suggest that the UK's jobs market took a damaging hit from 'Awful April', with the tough reality of sharply rising National Insurance and National Living Wage costs pushing more employers to cut staff. 'This decline in pay growth should gather pace over the summer with weaker economic conditions and elevated employment costs likely to accelerate the downward pressure on wages, aided by the longstanding problems with poor productivity. 'The UK's labour market is in a painful period with eye-wateringly high business costs likely to mean more job losses this year, particularly if the Spending Review increases the odds of more tax hikes in the Autumn Budget.' ‌ Jane Gratton, deputy director for public policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, said: 'The increase in employment costs for business appears to be starting to bite with today's data showing a rise in unemployment. This year's steep increases in national insurance and the national living wage have undoubtedly delivered a shock to businesses.' Lib Dem Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: 'These figures could not be a clearer signal to the Chancellor, ahead of the spending review, that the Government must change course. 'The Chancellor's pig's ear of a jobs tax is crushing the growth potential of our high-streets and small businesses, pushing people out of work, and ramping up the benefits bill.'

Unemployment rate surges to highest since 2021 as wage growth eases sharply
Unemployment rate surges to highest since 2021 as wage growth eases sharply

The Independent

time2 hours ago

  • The Independent

Unemployment rate surges to highest since 2021 as wage growth eases sharply

Britain 's unemployment rate has hit its highest level in almost four years, according to official figures, while wage growth has eased more than anticipated as employers grapple with rising staff costs. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that average regular earnings, excluding bonuses, fell to 5.2 per cent in the three months to April, a sharp decrease from 5.5 per cent in the previous three months. This is the lowest rate since the third quarter of last year. Although wage growth continues to outpace inflation, up by 2.1 per cent with Consumer Prices Index inflation taken into account, the figure fell short of expectations, with most experts having predicted a decrease to 5.3 per cent. The rate of unemployment also jumped to 4.6 per cent in the three months to April, up from 4.5 per cent in the three months to March and the highest level since the three months to July 2021. The figures also showed vacancies tumbled by 63,000 to 736,000 in the three months to May, while payroll data revealed the biggest drop for five years last month, down 109,000 to 30.2 million. It coincided with firms facing a hike in national insurance contributions in April, which had been announced in October's budget. Liz McKeown, ONS director of economic statistics, said: 'There continues to be weakening in the labour market, with the number of people on payroll falling notably. 'Feedback from our vacancies survey suggests some firms may be holding back from recruiting new workers or replacing people when they move on.'

UK firms hold off on hiring as job vacancies fall
UK firms hold off on hiring as job vacancies fall

BBC News

time2 hours ago

  • BBC News

UK firms hold off on hiring as job vacancies fall

UK companies are holding back on hiring or are not replacing departing workers, sending job vacancies tumbling official figures number of available jobs fell by 63,000 between March and May while the unemployment rate ticked higher."There continues to be a weakening in the labour market," said Liz McKeown, director of econonic statistics at the Office for National Statistics (ONS), adding that there had been a noticeable drop in the number of people on April, National Insurance Contributions paid by employers increased while a rise in the minimum wage came into force.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store