Traders fear that upcoming roadworks on the Golden Mile at Great Yarmouth will mar the start of the holiday season at Easter.

In response to the town's trader's association, which said the repairs could cause gridlock on Marine Parade, the county council replied that parts of the road surface near the Britannia Pier were worn out and potentially dangerous.

The works are to go ahead over the Easter holidays but not during the four-day bank holiday Easter weekend.

A council spokesman said the work, due to begin on April 4, should be finished for when the holiday season starts on May 1.

They said: 'Some disruption is unavoidable, for which we apologise, but leaving the work for later this summer was not an option given the urgent need for repairs.'

Michael Cole, manager of the Joyland Children's Adventure Park, which is next to the planned works, has said he fears the work will cause traffic problems because of the diversions and visitors will get impatient and turn around to leave.

He added that because of this, the works could have a detrimental affect on his and other people's Easter trade.

In an email conversation between a council officer at Norfolk County Council and Great Yarmouth county councillor Mick Castle, the officer stated that work was originally scheduled to start in October last year.

However he said this was delayed due to Great Yarmouth Borough Council not agreeing to remove the blocks.

He added: 'We were not able to do the scheme during the months of January, February and March due to the risk of frost impacting upon materials and the laying of new surface.

'The work must financially be completed on the year 2015/16, budget cannot be carried over.'

The work carried out by Norfolk County Council started this week with some preliminary kerbing work.

From Monday, works to repair the granite block features on the road, and will be done using only half of the carriageway width at a time.

For works adjacent to the cinema, around the oval only, a lane closure will be in place.

As the project moves on there will be a number of road closures over the upcoming month.

Details of the main road resurfacing work includes;

•Week of April 11 - Full 24 hour road closure of North Drive and Marine Parade up to signalised pedestrian crossing opposite the Pier to enable resurfacing works.

•Week of April 18 - Full 24 hour closure of Marine Parade from the north of Prince's Road junction to signalised pedestrian crossing opposite the Pier to enable resurfacing works. Prince's Road will also be closed at the junction to Marine Parade.

•Week of April 25 -Full 24 hour road closure of Marine Parade from signalised pedestrian crossing opposite the Pier to south of the junction with Britannia Road. Brittania Road will also be closed to through traffic.