THE completion of emergency gas works meant the closure of a main route into Winchester again tonight.

The closure affects City Road eastbound - heading into the city - from Andover Road to Hyde Street while Southern Gas Networks finish off the work they began on Friday.

Southern Gas Networks say they completed the repairs on Sunday and temporarily reinstated the road that evening in order to open it to traffic on Monday.

However they will return this evening to “permanently reinstate the road”, meaning City Road will be closed eastbound between 8pm this evening and 6am on Wednesday morning. Westbound traffic will be unaffected.

Engineers were actually called to City Road on January 23 following reports of a smell of gas from a member of the public.

They found low levels of gas escaping and carried out preliminary work last before returning on February 8 to complete the repairs.

A spokesman for the firm said: “We have been monitoring the leak since it was discovered and have worked closely with the Hampshire County Council to plan the most suitable time to complete the repair as we do need to close City Road eastbound to do this.”

The initial closure was in effect from 8pm on Friday, February 8, and lasted throughout the weekend.

A signed diversion has been in place via Andover Road, Worthy Lane and Hyde Street, with traffic travelling westbound along City Road unaffected.