MOTORISTS will face the prospect of massive disruption as key routes around Winchester are dug up over the next few months.

Work by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks to replace cables begins on October 2 and will end in the summer of 2018, impacting on the city’s one-way system.

The plans will disrupt Jewry Street, the High Street, Trafalgar Street, Southgate Street, St Clements Street and Staple Gardens, although the roads will remain open at all times for residents and businesses.

There will be closures in St Clements Street and Staple Gardens, with diversions in place and work overnight in some areas.

No work will take place between November 19 and January 14 to allow for the Christmas and New Year trading period.

Catherine Turness, executive director of Winchester Business Improvement District (BID) said: “There is never a right time for any type of disruption to business but Jewry Street and surrounding premises have been subject to several frustrating outages over the last couple of years.

“The new substation installed last year helped to address this but if we want to ensure capacity for commercial growth in the area, the forthcoming works by SSE are necessary. “We welcome the embargo during the festive period, which is a crucial sales period and that access to business premises will be maintained at all times.”