A string of Ipswich businesses who suffered from weeks of overrunning roadworks last year were left fuming again after a blunder by contractors closed the road unnecessarily this morning.

Ipswich Star: Gary Markham is pictured at his shop - Markhams Fishing Tackle - in Ipswich, has faced lost revenue from repeated road closures. Picture: PHIL MORLEYGary Markham is pictured at his shop - Markhams Fishing Tackle - in Ipswich, has faced lost revenue from repeated road closures. Picture: PHIL MORLEY

Gas work by Cadent in September last year overran by around seven weeks, causing businesses between the Lattice Barn pub and the Barclays Bank to suffer from lost revenue and disruption.

Last month, Cadent spent five days laying pipes in the road just weeks after it was freshly resurfaced, leading to Ipswich MP Sandy Martin to brand the works as having “no logic”.

But fresh outrage was sparked from firms in the road – who have already seen their profits hit –when another blunder from Cadent resulted in the road closing first thing this morning for emergency gas work, only to find no closure needed.

No businesses were warned as the work was responding to an emergency, not planned.

Gary Markham from Markham’s Fishing Tackle and Bait, said: “I couldn’t believe it, I really couldn’t believe it,” when he saw the signs.

“I think they need to get their act together because they just seem to get everything wrong.”

He said the firm had achieved a good Bank Holiday of business thanks to the favourable weather, but lost out on more good trade in the morning the continued sunshine would have brought.

Steve Harding from Touchwood UK, said: “Without people looking in [your showroom] you are not selling anything. It does have a big effect.”

Mr Harding last year raised concerns over the lack of communication by both Cadent and Suffolk Highways over the seven week delays to work, and has called for more to be done.

“I think we need to at least get notifications that the road is going to close so we can work around that, and don’t shut roads when we don’t need to,” he added.

Confusion had initially begun as Anglian Water was the only planned work and did not have permission to close the road, but it later emerged that it was Cadent responding to an emergency in the nearby Rushmere Road that caused the problem.

A spokesman said: “This closure was implemented in error by our traffic management contractor as soon as we were made aware of this we got the closure removed. We’re sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused people.”