WORRIED traders in Andover’s Weyhill Road have been told that the busy highway will close for almost four months while a new railway bridge is built to provide container trains with an alternative route from the port of Southampton.

Full closure will begin at 6pm on Christmas Eve and many are worried about the impact such a lengthy hiatus will have next year.

“When they close it completely it won’t put me out of business but it is going to make life very difficult,” said Jan Walton, from Oakley Cleaners.

“We should get some compensation for loss of trade, we need better signage so people will still come down here and we would like them to give a bit of help with advertising.”

Simon Churchill from Eye for Beauty at Kenyon’s Yard, said: “It will stop passing traffic and our business relies on passing traffic.

“But it will also have an impact on the whole town if it causes traffic chaos.”

Articulated lorries deliver to the area on a daily basis, some from Europe, so they will be sent down unfamiliar routes, and may have to turn around.

Network Rail says that following consultation closure has been retimed to avoid the commercially important lead up to Christmas.

“We have met with businesses on numerous occasions,” said a spokesman. “As well as re-programming our whole programme to keep the road open to traffic for as long as possible, we have agreed with the council to place extra signage in strategic locations.

“Network Rail has arranged a public drop-in day at the council offices at Beech Hurst in Weyhill Road on Friday 11 November, from noon to 8pm.

“There will be Network Rail representatives on hand to talk through plans and answer questions.”

Work to divert the utilities has already started and a temporary traffic light system is in place.

Network Rail says that the diversions will be clearly signed and promise that pedestrian access across the bridge will be maintained. Through traffic is expected to return to Weyhill Road ‘early in April 2012’.