Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - Road Works (Impact on Small Businesses)
5. Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the financial impact on small businesses of roadworks. (S3O-5310)
The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson):
Although the Scottish Government is aware of the risk that road works will have a financial impact on small businesses and seeks, in collaboration with them, to minimise the impact, no formal assessment has been carried out.
Alison McInnes: Darren Williams of Tyre and Auto Care Services in Keith estimates that recent road works have resulted in £23,000 loss of income. Mr Williams has said that his business could not have withstood that loss of earnings had the works been undertaken in his first two or three years of trading. Will the Scottish Government investigate the possibility of compensating small businesses that are seriously affected by road works and may already be feeling the pinch of the economic downturn?
Stewart Stevenson: I am aware of the case to which Alison McInnes refers, as the local member has discussed it with me. We have sought to work with the business in question to minimise the effects on it and some other businesses in Keith. Unfortunately, when the road was lifted, substantial difficulties were encountered in services, the nature of which was not known at the time. I believe that the difficulties are now largely resolved. We will learn any lessons that it is appropriate to learn from that business's experience.
