Businesses that are usually busy with trade from traffic coming in and out of Norwich have been left cursing road closures.

Gaswork by Cadent has closed parts of North Walsham Road since January 16, with access from the NDR also having been affected by work late last year.

Mike Howard is manager of the Harvest Energy petrol station in Sprowston and has said the road's closure has had a "devastating impact".

Norwich Evening News: North Walsham Road is shut for gas worksNorth Walsham Road is shut for gas works (Image: Denise Bradley)

Mr Howard, who has worked at the site for more than three decades, said: "In a usual day we'll sell around 15,000 litres of petrol, and that's down more than half on average.

"We can easily do 1,000 transactions a day, but yesterday we made just 363.

"It really has been quite devastating for us.

Norwich Evening News: Cadent works continue in North Walsham Road, SprowstonCadent works continue in North Walsham Road, Sprowston (Image: Denise Bradley)

"A lot of our business comes from passing trade."

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Mike was told that the closure to Edwards Road - just south of the forecourt - would reopen on February 3, but another section - about 100m north to Barkers Lane - will be shut for a further two weeks until February 17.

"I was of the understanding that come February 3 we would be back to normal, but now another section will be closed and we'll have another two weeks of it," he exclaimed.

Norwich Evening News: Gas works in North Walsham Road have been extended to February 17Gas works in North Walsham Road have been extended to February 17 (Image: Denise Bradley)

"We were happily awaiting the reopening but this is another blow. We're trying to continue as normal, soldiering on.

"It's disappointing and has been so severe.

"It's pretty much like a ghost town here. Where you'd have a car coming past every couple of seconds compared to the level of traffic that isn't passing now.

"We get a lot of trade with people coming off the NDR and from North Walsham into the city - but for now everything has stopped.

Cadent did not respond to a request for comment.

Tosh Kesh owns the Nisa Local shop across the road.

Norwich Evening News: Tosh Kesh, owner of Nisa Local in North Walsham RoadTosh Kesh, owner of Nisa Local in North Walsham Road (Image: Denise Bradley)

He said that the post-Christmas lull is particularly hard but has been harder since the road closures.

"I've had to cancel three orders in the last fortnight because we're so quiet," he said.

"Trade is down by 50pc. I've had to put staff on shorter hours.

"Signs saying businesses are open as usual are two miles down the road. It's really not helpful."