DRIVERS are set for two months of traffic misery as works to replace gas pipes in a Hampshire village begins.

Traffic lights will be in place across Fair Oak for the next eight weeks as gas distribution company SGN will be replacing old mains and services with new plastic pipes.

This comes after emergency repair works were carried out at the junction of Fair Oak Road and Winchester Road in the past few months.

The area is now set to see traffic lights once again as the new works will

be carried out in Winchester Road outside the Acorn Social Club and will progress southwards in sections to the junction of Fair Oak Road.

SGN said engineers will also be working at Winchester Road’s junction with Fair Oak Road, by the war memorial and in the pavement.

Mohammed Gias Uddin Sumon, is the manager of the Indian restaurant Kutis and the emergency gas works have been taking place on the pavement outside the restaurant for weeks.

He described the news of the further works as 'frustrating.'

He said to the Echo: "for months people have assumed that the restaurant is closed because the gas works have been taking place on our door step.

"It has been a problem for us, it is not clean and we have noticed that less customers have been coming in.

"It has also caused a lot of traffic."

Dan Brown, a spokesman for SGN, said: “To ensure everyone’s safety, we need to install temporary traffic lights around our work area.

"These lights will be manually operated during peak hours to minimise travel disruption in the area.

"Our engineers will be working extended hours and at weekends to ensure our project is completed as soon as possible.

"We understand that people can get frustrated by roadworks.

"However, the new plastic pipe has a minimum lifespan of 80 years.

"This means that when the work is complete, Eastleigh homes and businesses will continue to enjoy the benefits of a safe and reliable gas supply for years to come.”