PENSNETT traders are desperately trying to rebuild their businesses after a year of roadworks hell.

The multi-million traffic-busting scheme to improve High Street is due to finish at the end of July but the work has had a devastating impact on surrounding businesses.

Many established businesses - including a butchers, hardware store and convenience shop - have closed down since the work began in May last year.

Surviving businesses have also felt the strain, with footfall and sales dropping dramatically throughout the disruption, which has seen which has seen the road widened and new traffic signals installed to "improve the traffic flow and pedestrian safety".

"It has been terrible," said Paula Pilcher, owner of Summerhill Bathrooms in Bradley Street.

"We've all lost business because of it. We've had no compensation or help from the council. I was told that businesses shouldn't rely on passing trade - that's ridiculous, everyone relies on passing trade.

"We can see light at the end of the tunnel but we just want the roadworks gone now."

Laura Taylor who runs the Flower Gallery, said she'd had to bin stock for the first time in a decade.

"Our stock is perishable so it needs to be used or thrown away. We've done really well to get through the year."

Ms Taylor said she had written to Dudley South MP Mike Wood to see if the council would provide compensation for loss of earnings.

However the local authority said it could only provide compensation to businesses where property or land has been acquired under a compulsory purchase order.

"We have been totally dismissed by the council," she added.

"We've had to struggle to get through the last 12 months. It's been a nightmare. Flowers are a luxury item anyway but people are not going to sit in that traffic. Some people haven't even been this way since it began and I can't blame them.

"We just want to be back to how we were before, we want the roadworks gone."

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley's cabinet member for environmental services, said the council was now putting the finishing touches to the scheme, including installing traffic signals, resurfacing the road and repairing pavements.

She added: “Pensnett High Street is a busy road and we know the works have caused a lot of disruption but when the final works are completed it will have a big impact on people’s journeys through the area.

"However, motorists are advised that until the works are fully complete, they may still experience delays at peak times.”

She urged people to "shop local and support the variety of shops and businesses", adding: "Supporting local businesses is something that is very important to us, especially during major work such as this.

"We have been busy promoting the trades at this site during the work, through the media and on site, to encourage people to shop locally and council officers have been available on site to answer questions throughout.

"Whilst we understand the frustration and inconvenience that schemes like this cause, the work is being undertaken expressly to build on the local economy by improving access across the borough.”