Shop owners in a Pembrokeshire seaside town are emphasising that they are still open for business, despite the area being affected by an eight-week road closure.
Essential works to replace a culvert under the A487 in Newport were due to begin on Monday, January 6.
Traffic Wales says that the A487 will be closed in both directions from Parrog Street junction to the Market Street junction.
There will be a diversion through the town for cars and vans, but lorries face a 35-mile detour.
The Welsh Government has stated that every effort is being made to minimise disruption.
The roadworks will remain in place until at least February 28.
County councillor Huw Murphy, who represents the town on the Local Authority, told BBC Wales: “The problem for us is that in Newport there are no easy diversionary routes.
“The road will be closed but Newport won't be closed. I do think it's going to have an impact on the local economy.”
He added the town relied heavily on tourism, hospitality and leisure and there was a "real risk" that would "fall off".
A local diversion route for cars and small vans is in place will be via Upper West Street and Upper Bridge Street; while the car park at Long Street, which is free at this time of year is also open and accessible.
Kat Ellis, chairperson of Newport Chamber of Trade said: “This is a quiet time of year for businesses. To have a road closure on top of that, we don’t how it is going to go.
“We are trying to make everybody aware that as a town we are still open.
“Just because that road is closed doesn’t mean that the town is closed,” she added.
©Video - BBC
Essential works to replace a culvert under the A487 in Newport were due to begin on Monday, January 6.
Traffic Wales says that the A487 will be closed in both directions from Parrog Street junction to the Market Street junction.
There will be a diversion through the town for cars and vans, but lorries face a 35-mile detour.
The Welsh Government has stated that every effort is being made to minimise disruption.
The roadworks will remain in place until at least February 28.
County councillor Huw Murphy, who represents the town on the Local Authority, told BBC Wales: “The problem for us is that in Newport there are no easy diversionary routes.
“The road will be closed but Newport won't be closed. I do think it's going to have an impact on the local economy.”
He added the town relied heavily on tourism, hospitality and leisure and there was a "real risk" that would "fall off".
A local diversion route for cars and small vans is in place will be via Upper West Street and Upper Bridge Street; while the car park at Long Street, which is free at this time of year is also open and accessible.
Kat Ellis, chairperson of Newport Chamber of Trade said: “This is a quiet time of year for businesses. To have a road closure on top of that, we don’t how it is going to go.
“We are trying to make everybody aware that as a town we are still open.
“Just because that road is closed doesn’t mean that the town is closed,” she added.
©Video - BBC
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NewsTranscript
00:00It's a gem on the North Pembrokeshire coast. Newport, or Trefdraith, attracts visitors
00:05all year round who come here for the stunning scenery and to relax in this attractive seaside
00:11town. This may not look like a trunk road, but it's the A487 which runs along the Welsh
00:17coastline to Fishgarden and beyond, through the centre of Newport. Major works need to
00:22be carried out where the Avon Velin crosses under the road.
00:26The drainage structure that runs under the A487 here in the centre of Newport is going
00:31to have to be totally replaced and the work is going to take around eight weeks. This
00:37section of road will have to close.
00:39There'll be a short diversion at Market Street and along this narrow road for cars and vans
00:44controlled by traffic lights, but larger vehicles will face a 35 mile diversion.
00:50Throughout the year there is a certain degree of footfall in this town based on visitors
00:55and I think there is a real risk that that will fall off.
00:59Business owners like Isabel say there's some confusion about the road closure.
01:03Vehicles over a certain weight will be diverted, but anybody else, normal cars, Newport will
01:10be open as normal and I think it's just a case of allowing a little bit longer for journeys,
01:14but people can still get in, can still park, can still use Newport as normal.
01:19Emma told me she's already told staff she'll have to consider cutting back on hours and
01:24there's been no financial support for businesses.
01:26As yet no sign of any compensation or support whatsoever because obviously our bills remain
01:33the same for January and February, nothing kind of reduces and it would be nice to have
01:37a little bit of financial support I think.
01:39What impact could it have on you as a business? Obviously you employ a number of people. How
01:43many people do you employ and what impact could it have do you think?
01:45Well in January and February there are four full time here. I've already had to sit down
01:49with the team and give them a little bit of a heads up that we'll possibly have to cut
01:53hours down for those two months.
01:54We're slightly worried. Obviously it's really important that the road gets sorted. We want
02:00everyone to be safe, but also we want everyone to know that we're still going to be open.
02:06For Tom Os at the Funon Homeware stores, the road closure comes after a challenging period.
02:11For us we see it in the wider context of the issues around Welsh Government policy and
02:17Pembrokeshire County Council policy over second homes and council tax increases. That's
02:23made the business environment in Newport very difficult.
02:27The road closure will be in place between the 6th of January and the 28th of February.
02:32The Welsh Government says it understands local concerns, but the work is essential to make
02:36sure the road can remain open and it's trying to minimise disruption. It added the work
02:41is being carried out at the least disruptive time of the year.
02:45The shops and cafes of Newport say although this section of road will be closed, their
02:50town will be open for business.