BUSINESSES have told of their anger after being hit by roadworks for the second time in a matter of months.

Not only are heavy queues due to the roadworks in Bishopstoke proving a “nightmare” for drivers, but local traders say it is once again crippling their trade.

It comes just months after another roadworks project only 200 yards down the road which took more than five months.

Business have criticised the timing of the work on Bishopstoke Road - a major route into Eastleigh - and questioned why it could not have been done at the same time to minimise the damage.

The work, outside The Hub community centre, is set to finish this Sunday afternoon.

It is part of Hampshire County Council’s highway maintenance programme, though some residents suggested the same piece of road had already been dug up twice in 18 months.

The council says the road was in poor condition and had started to subside so additional reinforcement was needed to make it safe.

But it comes on the heels of a five-and-a-half-month project, at the junction with Riverside, which overran six weeks until the end of July and saw businesses suffer with customers reluctant to brave the queues.

Business owners said the roadworks could have been combined with the same temporary traffic lights extended.

Les Smith, co-owner of LJ Smith Family Butcher, in Riverside, was among those worst hit last time and questioned why contractors were not working through the night.

He said trade was halved on Saturday with takings down by around £2,000 and for the week had been virtually halved.

Employees were taking outside of rush hour 45 minutes to get from Eastleigh to the shop.

“It really has crucified the shop again,” he said.

“People were just starting to come back.

“It’s queueing nearly at Fair Oak one way and Eastleigh the other and everywhere else is just gridlocked.

“The trouble is once people get fed up of this they start looking around for other shops.”

Masood Ahmed, owner of the Kashmir Tandoori takeaway next door, said trade had again slumped with takings down £800 last week while delivery journeys were taking an hour longer.

He said work should not have begun until roadworks on Southampton Road finished.

“We have to pay the bills and wages and if business goes down how can we afford it?”, he said.

“I’m angry but I don’t know what we can do.”

Dave Hull, owner of the nearby Tasty House Chinese takeaway, said it was adding 15 minutes to every takeaway delivery as staff struggled to get out on Bishopstoke Road and staff were having to allow half an hour more for their commute.

Cllr Seán Woodward, Executive Member for Economy, Transport and Environment, said 24 hour working was not possible because of disturbance for residents and it was being done as quickly as possible.

He said the road needed a substantial amount of reconstruction work that “could not have been achieved safely in previous roadwork schedules”.