A GARAGE owner claims his business is 'dead' because of major roadworks taking traffic away.

Jim McDonald has owned McDonald's Motors in Drumfrochar Road for more than 20 years and says trade has never been as bad.

Diversions are currently in place to allow Scottish Water to continue work on a �2.9 million mains upgrade in the town.

But Jim is unhappy at the situation and claims he does not see much activity at the site.

He told the Telegraph: "They said the road was going to be shut for three weeks between Baker Street and Cornhaddock Street, then the second section from Lynedoch Street to Ingleston Street was to take another three weeks.

"But there's nothing been done because a sewer pipe is so close to the water main they are working on."

Motorists have been diverted along Regent Street, Roxburgh Street, Bank Street, Dempster Street, Murdieston Street and Cornhaddock Street and vice-versa during the mains project.

But Jim, who has been in his present premises since 1989, says the disruption is costing him regular customers and passing trade.

He said: "It's absolutely stone dead - it's the quietest it's ever been and no-one is keeping us up-to-date with what's happening.

"People drive up here, see the road is closed and drive away again.

"None of the businesses are getting any passing trade.

"If customers go elsewhere they don't come back."

Scottish Water bosses say they hope to have this stage of the project completed soon and have apologised for the inconvenience caused.

A spokesman said: "We have completed work in Drumfrochar Road. At the moment we are working in Baker Street.

"We are carrying out some preparatory work in Baker Street and the main part of the work there will start next week.

"We expect to complete this work by Friday 6 September and the road will be closed until then.

"We have liaised with the local authority's roads department on this and we apologise for any inconvenience to road-users and thank them for their patience and understanding."