Angry traders in Saltaire say their takings are down by up to 50 per cent as roadworks make it impossible for shoppers to park.

Parking bays outside businesses on Bingley Road, near Saltaire roundabout, have been closed since May 14 while Yorkshire Water carries out upgrading work.

And businesses are set to suffer for up to two more weeks until engineers move on to work on another section of Bingley Road.

Parking bays outside the rows of shops on both sides usually allow shoppers to park up and browse for up to an hour, but with the bays closed, motorists are not stopping.

While parking is still available at the Co-op, shoppers must enter and exit the car park from the same entrance.

Julie Davies, manager of the Help the Aged shop on Bingley Road, said her takings had been down by about £300 last week, which as a charity she could not afford to lose.

She added: "We received about half of the donations we usually receive last week and when people drop bags off, they usually have a browse as well.

"This has particularly affected us because a lot of our customers are elderly or disabled and they simply can't get here.'' Diane Jaggard, owner of nearby The Interior, said she was furious as she has seen her profits slashed by half and despite advertising a sale, has had fewer customers.

She said: "There is no parking and there is the noise and the dust. With the nature of my business, I have to load up my car for fitting curtains and I haven't been able to park at all. It has just not been feasible and I have ended up parking on the pavement."

Postmistress of Saltaire Post Office, Shirin Kapre, said she usually sees up to 250 customers in a day, but said numbers had dropped to less than 100.

She said: "It is ridiculous. It has really affected us. I have only been here a month, but looking at past figures, I am not going to meet my targets. A lot of people have been using the post office in Shipley instead, they have been inundated."

Work on Yorkshire Water's £4 million project will move towards Bingley, at the junction of Nab Lane and Tower Road next. The scheme will then hit Bingley's Main Street.

A spokesman for Yorkshire Water said: "The work outside the shops should be completed by the end of the two weeks.

"We appreciate that this is a busy junction and have therefore been working between the morning and afternoon rush hours only. The work is essential in ensuring that the water supply to residents in the Saltaire area is secure and of the highest possible quality."