ROADWORKS on The Plain roundabout dramatically stalled business and drove customers away from the area, it has been claimed.

Shop owners along St Clement’s Street and Cowley Road have said they are pleased roadworks have finally come to an end after weeks of disruption to their businesses.

The £1.3 million roadworks scheme began in January to improve the appearance and safety of the roundabout for cyclists and pedestrians.

However, a spokesman for Oxfordshire County Council, the authority behind the project, said it had not received any complaints from affected traders.

Paul Smith said: “The work will bring benefits for all road users and should draw more tourists and cyclists to the area, which will provide benefits to the businesses concerned. We seek to work closely with businesses during any scheme to ensure any impact is reduced as far as possible.”

Sarah Brett, manager of charity shop Age UK, said the team was relieved the work was over after the St Clement’s Street store suffered “massively” while roads were closed and traffic diverted.

Miss Brett, of East Oxford, said the lack of customers raised concerns among the charity’s head office team, who were surprised with the lower takings. She added: “There was no one in the shop. There was no trade. Things are looking up now.”

Volunteer Heather Murray, 69, said she thought the area around The Plain roundabout had been safe for cyclists and pedestrians to use.

The great grandmother-ofthree, who has been volunteering at the Age UK shop for 20 years, added: “I just did not see the point in them.”

Magdalena Kurt, partner of Cowley Road’s Tick Tock Cafe, said trade dropped by 80 per cent after roadworks began. She said noisy work in front of her shop had stopped customers sitting in the cafe.

Mrs Kurt said she thought the scheme had been a “waste of money” and did not think safety had been improved.

She added: “It felt really bad. I hoped somebody would come in. I didn’t want them to see the shop was closed.”

Owner of Cous Cous Cafe, Karim Rashdi, said his St Clement’s Street business was “dramatically” hit by the roadworks.

Mr Rashdi said delivery vans also had to stop “miles away” because of a lack of parking. He said he was “not impressed” with the outcome of the roadworks and expected the council to add separate cycle lanes and paths to improve safety.

He added: “It seems like there’s been a lot of aesthetic work done. The roundabout is just as it was.”

Oxfordshire County Council said The Plain roadworks, which are complete, would widen footways, reduce the width of lanes and alter roundabout entrances to slow traffic.

It said no traffic management would be in place on The Plain or Magdalen Bridge from this afternoon until 9am tomorrow, as the city prepares to celebrate May Morning.