A SPATE of road closures this summer for sewer works will be ‘devastating’ for traders, according to a businesswoman.

St Mary’s Way, Bank Street and Bacup Road in Rawtenstall will be closed on various dates throughout June as trial holes are dug by water company United Uti-lities before an upgrade on an outdated sewer system.

The £7million scheme intends to help prevent sewage spillages into the River Irwell, Limey Wa-ter and a host of other streams during heavy rain.

But Melinda Foster, who owns A Right Royal Tea Party cupcake shop in Ormerod Street, says the closure of the short stay car park in Bank Street will prevent her customers from coming to pick up orders.

She said: “It’s already difficult enough to navigate in the town, but the car park closing will hit us the worst. These roadworks will just give people a reason to stay out of Rawtenstall and head to Bury instead.

“It’s going to be a real inconvenience.”

Work will officially begin in 2013 but en-gineers must first check the position of other utility services, such as electricity cables, in order to finalise designs.

The project will inc-rease the capacity of the sewers to reduce the number of spillages taking place each year, and new filters will also be added to pipes to screen out more debris in the event of future overflows.

The work has been timed to avoid the Ol-ympic torch relay’s route through the Valley on June 23 and the judging of the town’s Britain in Bloom entry in July.

United Utilities project co-ordinator Brian Jen-kins said: “We will do all we can to minimise inco-nvenience to the public.”

“Ultimately, this inve-stment is great news for wildlife and anyone who appreciates a riverside walk.”

Trial holes will be dug in the following loc-ations: Bacup Road, Hareholme, near the Highfield Road junction, from June 7 for two weeks. Temporary tra-ffic lights will be in place.

Bank Street, Raw-tenstall from June 25, for approximately two weeks. The short stay car park on Bank Street will be closed for the duration.

St Mary's Way near the ASDA access road, from June 25, closing one lane of the dual carriageway.