Following a series of repairs to our gas network in London Road, Portsmouth, we need to replace a section of our gas main
This work involves replacing old, metal gas mains with new plastic pipe to ensure nearby properties continue to receive a safe and reliable supply of gas.
Update: Wednesday 27 March
From Tuesday 2 April, we’ll be returning to London Road in Portsmouth to complete the final section of gas main replacement. This follows a pause in our work to support Southern Water’s urgent work on Eastern Road.
Due to the location of the gas main in the road outside the old News Centre entrance, from Tuesday 2 April for a maximum of two weeks, we’ll need to fully close the southbound carriageway of London Road. A contraflow system with two-way traffic will be in place on the northbound carriageway to maintain southbound and northbound traffic flow in and out of the city.
Once this section is complete, we’ll then return to work with one lane of the southbound carriageway closed. The northbound lane will then return back to two lanes until we complete the replacement work on Monday 6 May.
We’re sorry for the inconvenience our work may cause. We’ve worked closely with Portsmouth City Council, Colas (Highways teams) and Southern Water to plan our work to minimise disruption and to maintain traffic flow in and out of Portsmouth.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Update: Thursday 7 March
To help ease traffic congestion and to support Southern Water's work on Eastern Road, we will pause our work on the following gas main replacement projects:
London Road, Portsmouth
Work will pause on London Road from Friday 15 March to Sunday 24 March. London Road will be reinstated and all lanes reopened.
From Sunday 24 March for five weeks, our engineers will return to complete the final phase of work. For everyone’s safety, we’ll need to have a lane closure in place for the first two weeks.
Havant Road, Farlington
The first phase of the replacement work on Havant Road will be completed on Friday 15 March and we’ll be off the road with temporary lights removed.
We'll be resurfacing within the footpath from the week beginning Monday 18 March.
Update: Wednesday 21 February
While working in London Road, our engineers have found the existing gas main is located further into the centre of the southbound lane of the road than expected. For everyone’s safety, we’ll need to temporarily close the southbound lanes from tomorrow, Thursday 22 February, until Wednesday 28 February.
To make sure traffic can travel in both directions in and out of the city, the northbound lanes will become two way as follows:
- Northbound traffic will use the bus lane to exit the city
- Southbound traffic entering the city will use lane two of the northbound lane
- Northbound lane one in the centre will be coned off to safely separate the two directions of traffic
The bus stops northbound on London Road will be closed from outside The Coach and Horses pub and the News Centre from Thursday 22 to Wednesday 28 February. Please contact your local bus provider for changes to your bus service.
Once we’ve completed this phase of work and reinstated the southbound lane, we will go back to having one lane southbound closed and northbound as normal. Bus stops will also reopen.
We’re sorry for any inconvenience our work may cause and thank you for your patience.
Update: 23 January 2024 – working in collaboration with Southern Water
We're working with Southern Water to coordinate our efforts to minimise disruption on two major routes into the city.
This means that once Southern Water's first phase of work on Eastern Road is complete, we'll close one lane of London Road to complete our work. This will be from Monday 12 February for approximately four weeks.
After this, the second phase of Southern Water's sewer maintenance on Eastern Road will be carried out. This will require a southbound road closure on a more southerly section of Eastern Road.
If you have any concerns about Southern Water's sewer works on Eastern Road, please call 0330 303 0368.
Update: 4 January 2024 – Essential gas main replacement London Road, Portsmouth
Phase 1 – Northbound gas main replacement
- The gas main installation was completed on Thursday 28 December, followed by the excavations being filled with concrete.
- This week, the tarmac is being laid and fewer engineers will be on site while the tarmac sets. This is an important part of the process to make sure the road surface is safe for vehicles to drive on.
- The northbound lane closures will be removed with the road fully opened by midday on Friday 5 January.
Phase 2 – Southbound gas main replacement – starts Wednesday 10 January from 9.30am
We are working closely with Colas and Portsmouth City Council, and from recent discussions agreed to delay our works due to the closure of Eastern Road southbound for emergency works by Southern Water.
- From 9.30am on Wednesday 10 January, one southbound lane will be closed on London Road between the turning into the old News Centre and the Coach and Horses bus stop for approximately eight weeks.
- This is required so that there is a safe work area from the excavations on the grass area.
- If there are opportunities to safely open the lane for periods of time as work progresses then we will do so to help reduce disruption.
- Once the lane is closed, engineers will start excavating to expose the gas main ready for replacement.
- People walking along the northern end of the work will be able to follow a short signed diversion to ensure they have a safe route around the roadworks.
- Signs will warn people about the work due to start.
We’re sorry for the disruption these essential works have caused, and thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
Phase one: from Tuesday 7 November to the end of November
We’ll be replacing 100m of old metal gas main. Due to the location of the gas main, for everyone's safety, we’ll need to close one lane southbound between the junctions of the old News Centre to the Coach and Horses.
Phase two: from end of November to end of December
Once phase one is completed, we’ll be replacing 120m our gas main on the northbound carriageway. For everyone's safety, we'll need to temporarily close one lane northbound between its junctions with Northwood Road to Hilsea Market while we complete this work.
We'll also need to temporarily close the northbound bus lane during phase two of our work.
We're sorry for any inconvenience our urgent work may cause to the local community.