SHOP owners in Crossgates are tightening their belts as roadworks cause havoc with their footfall.

Monday marked the start of work at the Main Street, Dunfermline Road and Inverkeithing Road junction, at the heart of the village.

The congestion and lengthy queues in place now means that cars are unable to park at the side of the roads in the area to pop in to the shops.

One business told the Times that they were 30 per cent down on their usual sales that morning in just the space of a few hours.

The roadworks - in stages - are expected to last for ten weeks, with local businesses already expressing their fears on the impact it could have on their income.

Robert Kirkwood, who runs the Premier store on Main Street, told the Times that he would have to "grin and bare it".

He said: "The money is literally driving by my window.

"I'm already feeling the impact in the space of just one morning. Unfortunately, there's nothing we can do about it.

"It's a sore one and it's not as if it's just five days or a week, it's six weeks.

"It means I'm going to have to take the hit, tighten the belt and move some of my goods to my store in Mossgreen because I know it will sell quicker there now".

He added: "The roadworks are really detrimental.

"People have always been kind enough to park their cars in the streets and come in to the shop.

"They can't do that now because of the temporary traffic lights in place and the traffic build-up."

The works are being carried out by GTC Pipelines Limited to accommodate for the new Ogilvie Homes housing development on Dunfermline Road.

The first stage started on Dunfermline Road on Monday and is timetabled to be completed by March 16.

The second stage begins on Main Street from March 12 to 23.

Work on the third phase takes place on Inverkeithing Road from March 18 to 30.

The project will then be completed from March 26 to May 7 on Springhill Brae.

Lesley Campbell, GTC Pipeline's commercial director for Scotland, said: "If anyone has any concerns whatsoever about the impact it is having on them personally, or from a business perspective, they absolutely have to let us know.

"We'll then work with them to ensure that the disruption is only having a minimum impact on them.

"It is not our intention to make life difficult for people.

"We're going to do everything we can to help local people and businesses with any concerns they have over how the works impact them.

"They have to get in touch with us and we'll do our best from there to minimise the impact as best we can."

Cllr Alex Campbell has a "great deal" of sympathy with the several businesses that have all raised concerns over the works.

He has contacted Fife Council asking what can be done to reduce the inconvenience facing local companies.

He said: "I don't know whether that could be with another traffic scheme, reduced hours of work or having traffic go round in another direction.

"We've had lots of issues with roadworks in the last few years.

"This latest case could be the difference between a business trading or not.

"As a local councillor and businessman, I can totally sympathise with them."