Local traders have joined the ongoing row over a pedestrianised city street, arguing the mishandling of its closure is "damaging" their businesses.
Norwich's Exchange Street is currently a pedestrian and cycle zone between 10am and 5pm every day, after changes made by Norfolk County Council in 2020.
Traffic heading into St Giles Street and Bethel Street, next to The Forum, continues to grind to a halt at peak periods, leading to queues of vehicles.
Emily Duke from the city’s award-winning DIY store Thorns said: "We’ve written to everyone we can but no one seems to be listening.
"The way they have done this is damaging our businesses.
"Before 10am the road is now heavily congested.
"Suppliers are refusing to deliver to us because of the restrictions or demanding we pay more for deliveries.
"We’re almost being forced to send our delivery vehicles down Pottergate which doesn’t feel right. It’s far too narrow."
Angela Stephenson of the Natural Store, opposite Jarrold, also joined the criticism of the zone, which police have been enforcing with fines recently.
"It would make far more sense to allow deliveries up to 11am. Opening up after 4pm achieves nothing," she said.
"We have to be able to get supplies to our businesses and nobody seems to want to listen."
Traffic jams occurred repeatedly during the Christmas period last year as the county council's highways team employed traffic marshals to enforce the contentious closure.
This prompted chief executive of The Forum, Tim Bishop, to warn the authority of problems for businesses in the area unless it is managed properly.
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"These are traders in the street who were supposed to be getting a real benefit from the closure," he said.
"But due to the way it’s been handled and the fact the businesses were not listened to and are still not being listened to means it’s not working out that way.
"The last three Saturdays have been pretty bad. Unless something changes Christmas is going to be so much worse."
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