Gas repairs set to delay drivers in city centre
DRIVERS in Portsmouth are being urged to prepare for chaos as emergency gas repairs are carried out on a busy road.
Mile End Road and Commercial Road in the city centre will be reduced to just two lanes from 9.30am on Monday.
A gas leak has been discovered which will mean closing the southbound lane to traffic – which is expected to cause huge delays for motorists.
However, it is not yet known how long the work will take.
Simon Moon, Portsmouth City Council's traffic safety and sustainable transport manager, has urged drivers to avoid the area.
'It was due to start Thursday but we asked for it not to start until after the Monday rush hour, which is usually the busiest of the week,' he said.
'A Monday start will also avoid disrupting the extra traffic going to and from the Isle of Wight Festival.
'It also gives us a bit more time to inform people of what's happening. We're talking to the gas company to see how the work can be done as quickly as possible.
'We would ask people coming in to work on Monday to think about alternative routes into the city, or alternative means of transport.
'If they do have to drive in, then perhaps they can consider doing so before peak time, or after.'
The lane will be shut between the bottom of Mile End Road, just north of Church Street roundabout, and near the petrol station on Commercial Road, on the corner of Fitzherbert Road.
Duncan McDonald, spokesman for Southern Gas Networks, said: 'There is a leak there, but it's too early to say what has caused it. I would like to stress that there is no danger to the members of the public.
'It's essential maintenance work that the council asked us to do. We are having to close this lane to carry out the repairs.
'We have been monitoring the leak since we became aware of it.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
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