THE roadworks in Headington may now have finished, but shop owners say they have still not been compensated for lost business.

The majority of work on the £2m improvement scheme in London Road was completed earlier this month.

But for weeks, the road was closed overnight and work during the day caused traffic problems.

In September, more than 50 Headington business owners signed a petition calling for a rebate on their business rates. But since then, they have heard nothing.

Palmer Singh, owner of the Londis store in London Road, said business had been hit particularly hard.

He said: “We have lost around 40 per cent of our business since work began in May.

“I’m just not getting the footfall of people that I used to, and I have had to lose three members of staff.”

Mr Singh said the 24-hour store had lost much of its passing trade while the work was being completed overnight.

And he said it had still not improved now the work was completed.

He said: “They have turned the parking spaces outside our shop into a bus lane, so people can’t just stop and run in for a paper anymore.

“Plus the loading bay is further down the road and lorries are only allowed to stop for half an hour, which is unrealistic.”

Mr Singh said traffic wardens were now patrolling the road and he was unable to get many of his usual deliveries.

He said: “It took me over half an hour just to get some milk delivered the other day, as they had to cross two sets of traffic lights.

“And if the deliverymen instead stop in front of the Londis, they immediately get a ticket, so I’m not getting lots of the stock I need.”

Jagdeep Singh, Mr Singh’s cousin, agreed that the move had really hit business.

He said: “I would estimate it has reduced business by about 45 per cent.

“People don’t want to risk a £35 ticket do they.”

Neil Holdstock owns nearby Absolute Event Solutions, which owns office space on London Road. He had to move business to an alternate location for three months whilst work was being carried out.

He said: “It was quite nice getting the space back. But we got back after three months to find a big hole in front of our office.

“And we ended up paying rent for two places because we couldn’t get in there.”

Mr Holdstock said business owners had simply not been the priority of the council.

He said: “This project was about one thing and one thing only: getting buses through Headington quicker.

“The council seem to be just about bus companies and cyclists, and I am neither.”

Paul Smith, a county council spokesman, said: “The project has transformed this part of London Road, it has been completed on time and we have been receiving very positive feedback about the overall scheme from local people.”

An Oxford City Council spokesman said: “There are no discounts or exemptions that Oxford City Council can apply to reduce the rates payable in circumstances like this.”