CONFUSION over road closures in Allendale could have been avoided if public notices had been published in the Hexham Courant , councillors and businesses have claimed.

Northumberland County Council blamed an administrative error for the turmoil, which at one stage sparked fears that businesses at Allen Mill would be robbed of any vehicular access during essential roadworks.

But critics warned the authority that the confusion highlighted the danger in bypassing the Courant when publishing public notices, and instead publishing them in the Northumberland Gazette .

Following concerns that the B6295 road would be closed at Allen Mill Bridge and the Peth at the same time, thus cutting off businesses at Allen Mill, the council has now made clear it intends to carry out work in phases.

Businesses based at Allen Mill said notices posted at the proposed road closure sites were misleading, causing them to believe work on Allen Mill Bridge would take place at the same time as tree felling at the Peth further up the same road.

The notices, also published online by the county council, stated that a road closure order, for the three locations, was due to begin on Monday.

The council this week confirmed the three road closures would now be staggered over the coming weeks.

Chris Bacon, of Allen Mill, said: “This is work which has to be done. We accept that.

“What does concern me is the misleading information. If this had been published in the Courant , we would have been more aware of what was happening.”

Allendale parish councillor Margaret Stonehouse said: “There was initially some concern that closing this stretch of the B6295 at both ends was going to cut off access to businesses in the area.”

A spokeswoman for the council said: “There was an administrative error in relation to one of the orders and this was therefore not initially advertised in the normal way.

“This has now been corrected, and we have liaised with all parties to agree this way forward.”