The council have been putting in a pedestrian crossing outside my shop, and customers have been unable to park while the work has been going on. It’s made a huge impact on my business turnover. Am I entitled to any compensation?
It depends whether the highway authority was carrying out “necessary” repair and maintenance work. If the work, or the way it was carried out, was not necessary, the authority may be liable to pay compensation to occupiers of neighbouring property physically affected by it. The installation of a pedestrian crossing would probably be regarded as part of the authority’s essential repair and maintenance programme. You could submit a claim for your lost profits, but a crossing is likely to be seen as necessary since it is in the public interest.