Shopkeepers on a major road they say is plagued by flooding every year are calling on their water company to fix the pipes once and for all.

Businesses in Crouch End were hit by a leak outside the former NatWest bank at the end of January that escalated into a “full-scale mains failure”.

Now they are demanding that Thames Water fix damaged pipes in Crouch Hill that they believe are behind persistent problems.

In a letter to Thames Water signed by 19 traders, Lewis Freeman, owner of Dunn's Bakery in the Broadway, asked to meet the company’s management and hear their proposals "for a lasting solution to a problem that no-one wants".

Mr Freeman says the leak was the latest in a series that have been happening almost annually for the past two decades.

Ham & High: Crouch End Hill is regularly brought to a standstillCrouch End Hill is regularly brought to a standstill (Image: David Winskill)

He added: "When they occur, traffic management is hastily arranged, buses and traffic diverted and much inconvenience and delay follow."

He said customers regularly comment about how stressful their commutes and other journeys have become.

Ham & High: The latest leak in Crouch End Hill was on January 24 closing the street for more than a weekThe latest leak in Crouch End Hill was on January 24 closing the street for more than a week (Image: David Winskill)

His bakery also has to try to plan without certainty that water will be available.

He added: "Over this period, Thames Water’s response has been to patch, make good, go away then stand by for the next failure."

Mr Freeman claimed that "anecdotally", Thames Water staff had told traders that the cost of repeated repairs far exceeds the cost of a capital replacement.

Ham & High: Anecdotally, Thames Water officers have told traders that the cost of constantly repairing leaks exceeds the cost of a permanent solution to stop itAnecdotally, Thames Water officers have told traders that the cost of constantly repairing leaks exceeds the cost of a permanent solution to stop it (Image: David Winskill)

"There is clearly a series of chronic issues at this location that need a long-term solution," he added.

A Thames Water spokesperson said: “We’re sorry to local residents and businesses who have been impacted by leaks on Crouch Hill. Our engineers most recently investigated reports of a leak in January, where they located a broken valve. We are working to secure an emergency permit in order to carry out the repair work.

“We would like to reassure the local community that we are investigating their concerns. Our engineers find and fix over 1,000 leaks a week – that's one every minute.”

They added: “We’re committed to listening to customer feedback and conversations are already underway with the local council to agree a site visit. Once a date has been agreed, this will be communicated to local traders.”