DRIVERS in South-ampton were today facing major tailbacks in the city centre as a major road was closed.

Gas company Transco is digging up disused pipes in Platform Road near Red Funnel's ferry terminal in Town Quay.

As a result, traffic heading along West Quay Road towards Town Quay yesterday was brought to a virtual standstill with queues of vehicles stretching back towards the junction with the start of Mountbatten Way.

The eastbound section of Platform Road, from its junction with High Street, will be closed for the rest of this week while the work to remove redundant pipes is completed.

Traffic is being diverted along High Street and Briton Street.

Transco spokesman Christine Riches said: "Basically, we are removing pipes that are no longer being used. The work has to be done because the pipes still have the ability to contain gas and they have to be removed for safety reasons."

This latest motoring misery comes at the same time as repairs to the A33 Millbrook flyover, which is due to be completed in December.

The £1.26m maintenance programme has seen the width of the east and westbound carriageways of the flyover narrowed to allow workmen access to repair the flyover's parapets.

Speed limits have been slashed from 50mph to 30mph with buses and trucks banned from the road and diverted to the roundabout beneath.

Other works costing £265,000 are also taking place along Bassett Avenue from Burgess Road to Winchester Road.

The scheme to repair footpaths and road surfaces - plus the installation of new pelican crossings - is due to be completed on August 27.

The works form part of an £18m project by city transport bosses to upgrade the road network in the city over the next five years.

Council highways boss Rod Anderson pointed out that they had gone out of their way to make city residents aware of the road maintenance programme the council was undertaking.

He said: "A lot of thought went into the traffic management arrangements at Millbrook Flyover and Bassett Avenue and we are pleased that they are working well."

June to December 2004 - maintenance work on Millbrook Road flyover. Cost: about £1.2m.

Monday, July 5 to Friday, August 27 - Bassett Avenue (Burgess Road to Winchester Road) - footpath and carriageway reconstruction and installation of new pelican crossings. Cost: £265,000.

Monday, August 16 to Friday, August 27 - Western Esplanade, Civic Centre Hill and Havelock Road (Central Station bridge to Commercial Road) - resurfacing of eastbound and northbound (inbound) carriageway. Cost: £150,000.

Monday, September 27 to Friday, November 5 - Romsey Road (Redbridge Hill to Rownhams Road) - footway and carriageway reconstruction. Cost: £137,000.