Vital bridge repairs have slashed the number of customers visiting shops in a village.

Raw Nook bridge, on Cleckheaton Road, Oakenshaw, closed on Saturday for 17 days to allow engineers to replace a corroded railway bridge.

Residents voted by 41 to 15 for rail company Railtrack to start the work at a neighbourhood forum last week.

But traders who were also at the meeting spoke of their concern that the closure of Cleckheaton Road would drastically affect passing trade which they rely on.

Beryl Pearson, who has run Pearson's Pets in Bradford Road for 11 years, said her worst fears had been confirmed.

"I had three customers in on Monday morning when normally I have a damned sight more than that," she said.

Chris Clavin, the owner of Low Private Hire minicabs based in Common Road, said trade had dropped by almost 30 per cent since the closure.

"We are getting no jobs from Oakenshaw. On Sunday night we were 40 jobs down on normal. I won't be surprised if I lose a few of my drivers because they're just not making enough."

But bakery owner Paul Bostock said that while trade had dropped by almost a half at his shop in Cleckheaton Road, it was not as bad as he first predicted.

"I thought I'd lose about £2,000 a week but it's looking more like £1,000, although I'll know better next Monday."

Railtrack spokesman Vicky Shaw said the company did appreciate that the closure had caused problems.

"Railtrack has to maintain its infrastructure and if we didn't do it now we would only be able to come back in another two years, as the bridge must be repaired within five years, so its better to get it out of the way now," she said.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.