A ROAD closure has confused coach and lorry drivers and has stripped shops of customers, traders and residents say.

Work on 100 metres of Littlemoor Road in Weymouth has resulted in some drivers in large vehicles making U-turns in the road.

Traffic has built up as drivers have continued to make their way down the road after passing a series of ‘closed’ signs.

The Dorset County Council work has been ongoing for the past three days and is due to end today.

Littlemoor Road resident Robert Forster stationed himself outside his house to alert drivers of large vehicles to the closure.

Mr Forster, 59, said: “People are ignoring the signs and thinking this is a joke. There’s been a load of articulated lorries coming down here and turning round again. Three coaches came down in the last half hour.

“I witnessed a bloke pull up in a people carrier and he was quite abusive to one of the road workers. A lady pulled over and asked me how I get to the garden centre – the trade there must have been decimated.”

The road has been closed just outside Goulds Garden Centre and motorists have been unable to reach the shops from the Weymouth Relief Road direction.

Steph Gabriel, acting manager of Pampurred Pets in Littlemoor Road, said the shop was quieter than normal.

She added: “We have about a third of the customers that we normally have.

“There seems to be a real lack of information about the closure because we’ve seen a few number 31 buses turning around.

“We had to find out about the work through the garden centre and their communication to us seems to be a little bit lax. The disruption has been a bit unfortunate but afterwards it will be fine.”

Lesley Pedrick, manager at Cotton Traders which is based at the Goulds Garden Centre complex, said: “Trade has been what we predicted.

“We’ve had works going on for a while but this is worse because it’s right on our doorstep and people don’t realise that we’re still open.”

Cotton Traders worker Rachel Woolmington said: “I live in Wyke Regis and it’s been so hard to get here every day with all the work.

“There was a lady in the car park who was in tears because she didn’t know how to get into Weymouth.”

Larkin Windows showroom supervisor Karen Browne said she was looking forward to the roadworks being completed.

“In the long run it will be good.

“We haven’t had as many people looking at conservatories as we normally would.

“At the end of the day it’s got to be done.”

Mark Warren, of West Dorset Aquatics, said: “Business has been a bit slower.

“We’ve probably got about two thirds of the customers we would normally have. We’re looking forward to the work being done.”

A Dorset County Council spokesman said: “Diversion signs and ‘business open as usual’ signs went up on Monday morning ahead of the section of road being closed. It is unfortunate that some motorists failed to follow these.

“The work is on schedule and through traffic will once again be able to use Littlemoor Road late tomorrow evening.”