A busy road will be part closed for 15 weeks - but traders have welcomed the move.

Richmond Council has been consulting on plans to close Upper Teddington Road for repairs to be carried out on a railway bridge next to Hampton Wick station.

Network Rail initially told Richmond Council it had two options for the work - shutting the road for eight weeks from late July or part closure for 10 weeks and four weekend closures.

However, just days before a public meeting to discuss the scheme, the 10-week closure was extended to 15 weeks, with seven weekend closures and the storage of works vehicles in Vicarage Road. Traders feared businesses in Vicarage Road would be hit if the road closed.

But it has been confirmed there will be a 15-week partial closure from July 26 with a single alternate line of traffic and an advisory diversion along Church Grove, Sandy Lane and Park Road.

There will also be full weekend closures on the weekends of July 31, August 7, 14, 21 and 28 and October 16, and there is also permission for one more full weekend closure, but Vicarage Road will not be closed.

Susan Clapton, who runs antique clothes shop Bohemia in Upper Teddington Road, said a full closure would have signalled the death knell for many firms in the area.

She added: “We have more than 40 businesses here and every single one of them was worried.

“It is about the life of a community that would have come to a natural end because it could not trade.

”We would like to thank [Twickenham MP] Vince Cable for interfering on our behalf, to keep the high street open and the traders working.

“It is a boost for us, we have spent the whole week worried silly about a full closure.”

Although the traders were relieved, Dr Cable is not entirely satisfied.

He said: “If the proposal goes ahead as it is currently envisaged it could be catastrophic for traders.

“The idea that they are going to take 15 weeks over a small bridge is just mindboggling.”

Councillor Clare Head, Richmond Council cabinet member for traffic, called the public meeting and said it was very useful in getting the views of traders and residents.