The tally of businesses pulling out of Abingdon continues to rise.

And only last week 'closing down' signs went up in the Jennifer Gerard Art Gallery, in Stert Street.

The previous week, Cargo Homeshop, in High Street, announced it would be packing up by the beginning of March.

Manager Tom Laycock blamed the decrease in trade on a number of factors, including the town's traffic problems.

Many retailers are reporting takings down by 15 to 25 per cent - but some say it is as bad as 75 per cent.

Verona Dawe, who has lived in Abingdon for the past 25 years, and works on the Oxford Mail's planning desk, took pictures on a Saturday afternoon of a dozen shops closed or closing down.

She said: "I took them because there are so many closed shops in Abingdon. It's quite sad, but Abingdon is a bit of a ghost town.

"For my own curiosity, I walked around seeing how many closed shops there were.

"The traders must find it extremely difficult - and the traffic system seems to be the final straw.

"The town centre is devastated - the precinct looks like it is still in the 70s and needs a facelift."

The Vale of White Horse District Council figures for car parking show the number of people using car parks in Abingdon fell by almost 25 per cent in two years.

Between 2004 and 2005, the council car parks were used 551,741 times. The figure was 425,560 last year.

Traders have blamed the decrease in trade on congestion, which many say has got worse since the Abingdon Integrated Traffic System (Abits) was introduced 18 months ago.

Angela McKnight, owner of Anya hair salon in Bath Street, explained what she did on some mornings when the traffic was particularly bad.

Her receptionist Rose Webb, who is a marathon runner, often has to run to her car in the traffic jam and sit in the queue while Mrs McKnight walks to her salon.

She said: "That is how I have been dealing with it. When I am really stuck I ring Rose and she will come from the reception desk and sit in the queues for me."

Mrs McKnight said that if she did not have loyal customers, she would have to shut up shop.

She added: "The problem is that there is nothing to come into town for. We as a company are extremely lucky as we have some really loyal customers and I would like to thank them for their support. Without them we probably wouldn't have a business either."

Jennifer Corrigan, owner of the Jennifer Gerard Gallery which is closing on March 15, said the reason was for a change of career. She added: "I believe the traffic system is fundamentally flawed, but that is not the reason I am closing, I have discovered that I do not want to do this any more.

"I do think there are some problems with the traffic but I think it is important not to dwell on it too much - people should try to keep their chins up and keep coming to town."

Former town businessman Steve King organised an independent review of the traffic system and is raising the £11,200 needed to pay for it.

Ian Hudspeth, Oxfordshire County Council's Cabinet member for transport, said it was far too easy to blame the Abits traffic changes. He added: "There were major problems before the current roads network came into being, but people seem to conveniently forget that."

Sandy Lovatt, Abingdon resident and secretary of the Federation of Small Businesses Oxfordshire branch, said other factors had contributed to the demise of the town centre.

He added: "What Abingdon really needs is for people to get together and think about its future, and put together a vision of how it's going to work.

Town council leader Lesley Legge added: "The town is changing and people's needs and habits are also undergoing changes. All these need to be taken into account."