TRADERS claimed to be already feeling the pinch yesterday as the A36 was closed for up to nine weeks.

The main artery to Southamp-ton from Salisbury was blocked off through Wellow and Plaitford while highways bosses install desperately-needed safety measures.

Motorists were diverted on to a huge detour around the A27, while a convoy system was set up to ferry traffic to stores and homes in the villages that line the busy road.

Maxine Gordon, from Bellevue Motor Company, in Wellow, said the £770,000 roadworks were already affecting business.

"We had two complaints from customers in the morning saying they had waited 20 minutes to join the convoy to our site," she said.

"More customers have been phoning up during the week asking if we're still open. All I can say is that it's horrendous. Last time the road was closed we sold one car in a month, whereas normally we expect to sell 15."

There are signs up at either side of the roadworks advising drivers that all businesses are still open.

Highways Agency bosses say that by carrying out the safety work at the same time as resurfacing, they are avoiding even more disruption.

Project manager Phil Hardy-Bishop said: "The safety improvements have been combined with resurfacing work that was already scheduled to take place in 2005.

"By combining both schemes we plan to reduce the overall length of time it will take to complete the work."