A WINCHESTER city centre side street will be closed by gas works.

Gas company SGN will begin work to upgrade the network in St Clement Street starting next week.

The company will replace metal mains with new plastic pipes as part of an ongoing programme of essential work.

After consulting Hampshire County Council and the the Health and Safety Executive, work will start on Monday January 6 and is expected to last three weeks

To ensure the safety of everyone, St Clement Street will be temporarily closed, starting at its junction with Trafalgar Street, throughout this project. Diversions will be sign posted.

Trafalgar Street is used by drivers seeking to avoid driving around the one-way system to access Southgate Street heading south out of the city.

Project manager Tony Semmence said: “We’ve worked closely with the local authorities in planning this work and we will be doing everything we can to limit disruption during our essential work in Winchester.

“We appreciate that roadworks can be frustrating, however, the new plastic pipe has a minimum lifespan of 80 years. This means once the work is completed, Winchester homes and businesses will enjoy the benefits of a continued safe and reliable gas supply for many years to come.”

SGN manages the network that distributes natural and green gas to 5.9 million homes and businesses across the south of England and Scotland.