Eastern Road Portsmouth to close for sewage pipe repair works by Southern Water - this is when

A 500-metre-long stretch of sewer is to be re-lined which Southern Water says should stop recurring issues with the underground pipe. Ongoing issues have led to three disruptive road closures and traffic lights over the past few months which have caused traffic chaos in the north of the city and surrounding area.

The latest closure will see the southbound carriageway of Eastern Road between the Farlington roundabout and Anchorage Road closed from 8pm on February 3 until around 8pm on February 9. This has been timed around Pompey's matches and to avoid any major events in the city.

Southern Water has said the re-lining is a shorter timeframe than a normal repair, requiring less digging and is less disruptive to commuters. It involves feeding lining material through the stretch of pipe underground, which is then heated before the pipe is sealed. A further closure of the same stretch of Eastern Road will be required for the next 300 metres of pipe re-lining for a later date although the exact timings have not yet been confirmed.

A statement from Southern Water said: "Our teams will be working 24/7 throughout the night, so traffic management will be in place so that work can be carried out safely.  We are working closely with the Highways Authority, Portsmouth City Council, and their partner that manages the network, Colas, to minimise the impact on road users wherever possible. 

Head of wastewater networks at the company Alex Saunders said that the short-term disruption should result in a long-term solution. He said: “We apologise for any further disruption this will cause residents, businesses and commuters – but are taking this action now to avoid more challenging times in the future. We will continue to update our website with any further information.” 

Portsmouth City Council is urging anyone travelling into the city centre and to Gunwharf to use the M275 if possible, and to plan their journeys in advance. There will be a signed diversion for all vehicles via Portsbridge roundabout at Hilsea as well as a diversion in place for those who walk or cycle on the path alongside Eastern Road. Bus journeys on the number 21 Stagecoach service will also be affected.

It comes as the works continue to upgrade the gas main in Hilsea with a lane closure currently in place southbound on London Road outside The News Centre. But the city council has said that SGN, which is carrying out that work, and Southern Water are coordinating their efforts to minimise disruption on two major routes into the city.

This means, it said, that once Southern Water's first phase is complete SGN will close one lane of London Road for four weeks to complete their work. After this, the second phase of Southern Water's sewer maintenance on Eastern Road will be carried out.

Roadworks are also ongoing in the city centre as part of the city council's efforts to promote bus and more sustainable travel.