MORE than 50 Oxford traders have signed a petition calling for a rebate on their business rates amid claims that a £2m road improvement scheme has killed off custom.

Headington traders say business has plummeted since the county council began installing a bus gate in London Road and sprucing up the shopping precinct in May.

The news comes a week after the Cancer Research shop in London Road said donations were “dangerously low”. They have dropped from 35 bags a week to just five since the work began.

Garry McGill, 38, who runs Fusion hairdressers in London Road, said: “We have really struggled and lost between 50 to 75 per cent of our business. June and July were extremely bad, Headington was like a car park and the cars were just at a standstill.

“The streets were absolutely dead, even on weekends.

“On a Saturday you could actually count the number of people walking about in Headington.

“The council hasn’t taken into account the businesses at all.

“Summer’s the season where people feel hot and get their hair cut.

“Clients who did come in said they were putting off their haircuts until the very last minute because they didn’t want to come to Headington.”

Mr McGill, who has owned two hairdressers in Headington over 13 years, said city council bin collections from his shop had been missed because of the roadworks.

He said: “We’re saying we want some sort of rebate on our business rates.

“This was not a good time to do it in the middle of summer when we’re just coming out of recession.”

The scheme, which is running to schedule, will lead to a wider pavement in Headington and 19 new benches and 16 bins. It is expected to be finished in November.

Marta Abreu, manager of Posh Fish, said trade had got so bad during the roadworks that her family had thought about closing the business and relocating.

She said: “It’s bad for everyone and our business is down about 20 per cent.

“It’s the worst we have known it in 12 years. Last year we could cope, but this year the business really went downhill.”

Steve Floyd, owner of Oxford Design and Photographic in London Road, said his trade was down 25 per cent.

He said: “It’s not been good with these roadworks on.”

County council spokesman Paul Smith said: “Unfortunately, major projects like this will always cause inconvenience to businesses, residents and shoppers.

“We have tried to minimise this as far as possible and believe the completed scheme will significantly improve the shopping area for years to come.

“There is no liability in law for compensation for roadworks schemes.”

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