ROAD closures and diversions in and around Newton Abbot mean the area is effectively ‘closed for business’ according to one trader.

Businessman Tony Joyner says the ‘complete gridlock’ and chaos on the roads spells a huge blow when hundreds of businesses in the area are facing financial ruin or closing down due to the ‘constant never ending series of road closures’.

The latest two week closure of the A382 main road between Newton Abbot and Bovey Tracey has been the final straw for Mr Joyner who owns Plants Galore garden centre at Forches Cross.

He estimates his business could lose £300,000 in turnover at one of his busiest times of the year.

It means he will potentially have to dump ‘tens of thousands’ of unsold seasonal plants.

He says staff he employs will also be affected because he has made the difficult decision to reduce staffing levels during the road closure due to the feared impact on trade.

Devon County Council has said that due to the complexity of the works, they can't be undertaken at night and the length of the diversions are to prevent HGVs from using unsuitable routes.

It added signs will be put up to notify people that businesses remain open as usual.

But Mr Joyner said: ‘The same is happening to hundreds of businesses all over the region who suddenly find the road closures killing their trade.’

The A382 closure is to allow exploratory work by South West Water ahead of planned major works to divert water mains as part of the Jetty Marsh Link Road improvements.

A further road closure would then be required for SWW to carry out the works at a later date.

Mr Joyner says this is going to be chaos with an estimated 15,000 vehicles using the road every day.

This planned road closure on the A382 has two diversion routes of 12 miles in one direction via Ashburton and 20 miles in the other direction via Haldon.

Mr Joyner said: ‘No one is going to take those ridiculous diversion routes so the whole of South Devon road network is going to be gridlocked by cars and lorries on every possible route around the Newton Abbot area.

‘Add this road closure to all the other roads currently closed in Newton Abbot and Torbay and the entire South Devon region is effectively closed for business or travel.

‘It takes hours to travel around the region with all the roadworks and closures and its going to get a lot worse once the A382 is closed.

‘The entire business community is under extreme economic pressure with all the new government legalisation and tax implications and business in the South Devon region needs a period of highly productive road network and a chance to just run our businesses without constant obstacles being put in our way.’

SWW has written to affected residents and businesses, and provided them with a helpline.

It said: ‘We have major planned works coming up, eventually laying a new main along Bovey Road, and need to carry out exploratory works first. So we can undertake this work safely and efficiently, we'll need to close the road for all through traffic.’