GAS works are set to cause a major headache for drivers in Winchester when a key route into the city is closed.
Southern Gas Network will begin a six-week project to upgrade gas mains under Bar End Road.
It will mean a section of the route – between Milland Road and Wharf Hill – will be blocked and traffic diverted into the city via Alresford Road, adding around four miles to commuters’ journeys.
Neville Crisp, of Winchester City Council, said it was unclear how much disruption the closure would cause.
He said: “We’ve got no idea until it happens. The reality is you get a couple of days of congestion and then everyone finds alternative routes.”
He added that traffic could not be routed via Barfield Close or Garnier Road because of low bridges.
A spokesman for Southern Gas Networks said: “We have looked carefully at the best and safest way of working, especially considering the machinery used.
“We realise it is not ideal having to close this road but it will be the most efficient way of doing things.
People will see the benefits in the future, in terms of gas supply.”
Businesses in Bar End Road are also expected to be affected by the road closure, which will start on March 30. Citroen dealer Wyatt said the work, combined with the economic downturn, could mean sales dropping by 50 per cent on last year’s figures.
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