BUSINESSES blighted by more than a year of overrunning roadworks have been hit in the pocket again after a nearby road was shut yet again, this time without warning.

Work to power nearby street lights has meant Spring Lane in Colchester has been closed since Tuesday but businesses in the area, including Playgolf on Baker’s Lane, who need the road for access, claim they were not informed.

Lexden Bridge, in Spring Lane, was closed for more than a year for an Essex County Council project to improve the 110-year-old structure.

The work was expected to take just six months in 2014 which but residents and businesses were left with a major headache in accessing their premises when they were forced to travel around the busy North Station area of town.

Works ended up costing £750,000 even though £400,000 had been earmarked for the project.

Julie Saleh, who works in marketing at Playgolf, said she feared trade could be severely hit by the new closure which is expected to last until the weekend.

She said: “The road was shut on Tuesday with no prior warning notification to any of the businesses.

“There are now two signs at both ends of the street saying the road is closed so unless you know you can access from the other way you would take that as saying there is no way for it to be accessed.

“It is not just us, but all of the businesses nearby.

“I have tried to contact Essex County Council but when I sent an email I get an automated response saying I will receive a reply within 20 days which is not much help.

“When I did speak to someone they said a warning notice had been put up on the street but there are no pavements so I’m not sure how anyone could be expected to see it.

“People keep phoning us and we are having to explaining they can get here.”

Ms Saleh said previous work on the bridge had impacted hugely on Playgolf and other businesses and predicted the same would happen this time,.

“The work on the bridge seemed to take forever and a day and the disruption it caused was quite awful.

“We are not purely a members’ club so rely on people coming along to use the driving range, playing footgolf with the kids, and making booking at the restaurant.

“It is just not good enough.

“With the diversion anyway customers are going to have to go round near the station, and it took me an extra 20 minutes to get in.”

A spokesman for Essex County Council said they were looking into the matter.