'Absolute chaos': Town centre road shuts with 50-mile diversion

Traders in a south of Scotland town have described "absolute chaos" following the six-week closure of the primary artery running through Sanquhar, which has necessitated an official 50-mile (80km) diversion. The shutdown of the A76 on Monday was intended to facilitate essential stonework repairs at the nearby Tolbooth Museum, but businesses report that trade has plummeted, with lorries becoming stranded and forced to reverse out of the town.

Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC) maintains that every measure is being taken to reduce inconvenience, asserting that signage will guide drivers to confirm that shops remain open for business. The Tolbooth, a category A-listed structure, is situated directly adjacent to the A76, a critical transport link connecting Dumfries and Galloway with Ayrshire. Due to the road narrowing alongside the historic building, the council determined that a full closure was required for certain phases of the project. While temporary traffic lights managed flow for a fortnight, a complete blockage began on Monday and is scheduled to last until July 10.

Although local access is being preserved, the designated diversion for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) is extensive. Southbound traffic is routed off at Cumnock via the A70, then directed to Thornhill via the B7078 and A702, with the reverse path applied for northbound drivers.

Before the construction commenced, local merchants warned BBC Scotland News that the disruption could "kill the town." Gareth Polland, owner of The Store, stated that the reality has matched their worst fears, describing the impact as "terrible."

"The community - both the public and business owners - highlighted a lot of fervently-held concerns right at the start before this ever kicked off," Polland explained. He noted that the absence of parking outside his shop has led to a dramatic collapse in footfall and sales. Compounding the issue, Polland recounted that three wide-load HGVs were halted in Sanquhar on Monday, unable to turn around and forced to reverse up the street.

Polland criticized the council’s approach, citing "borderline belligerence" and suggesting that work should have been conducted during the evening using traffic lights. "It is causing absolute chaos - footfall in the town is down, passing trade in terms of commuters is down and it is day one - we have got six weeks of this," he said. He expressed frustration with what he perceives as a lack of accountability, stating, "It genuinely feels like the council - they just don't care, they genuinely don't care... It doesn't matter how businesses or individual lives are impacted, the council gets their money regardless and carries on doing what they will regardless."

The timing adds further strain, as the closure overlaps with the World Cup period, a time when businesses typically anticipate increased revenue. "People just aren't coming up to the street because it is such a shambles," Polland added.

Charles Brown, who operates the local newsagents, supported these sentiments. "The street has been very quiet over the last two days, we've witnessed a couple of altercations on the road between drivers jumping the lights," he said. Brown reported that his takings have fallen by approximately £200 over the past 48 hours, while the local petrol station has seen a 30% drop in sales. "Not good at all," he concluded.

In response, DGC has launched a dedicated webpage to provide updates on the project. The council acknowledged traders' worries and emphasized the importance of the A76, but stressed that the repairs to the Tolbooth were vital to fix "significant stonework defects." Officials insisted the project was meticulously planned to limit disruption, ensuring local access remains available, and promised completion "well in advance" of major local events later in the summer.

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-06-03 05:27:18 UTC