Eastern Road: Southern Water announces when major route will open as works delayed

Eastern Road has had to undergo major repairs following a series of road closures due to leaks and overflows - and Southern Water put a second road closure in place since the start of the year. The closure has been in place 8am on Saturday, March 16 and the works were expected be completed today (Saturday, March 23.)

Earlier this week, Southern Water said that the work they are completing was on track to finish in time. However, the water company has now announced that the works will continue into next week.

A Southern Water spokesperson said: “The re-lining work of the 300-metre-long sewer is taking longer than anticipated due to unforeseen circumstances. Our teams are working throughout the day and night this weekend, to complete the repair as quickly as possible. This will delay the reopening of the Eastern Road, which is now scheduled for Monday 25 March.

“We apologise for the disruption this will cause residents, businesses and commuters. The work, which is part of a £1 million solution, is being taken now to avoid more challenging times in the future.”

The first closure took place between February 3 and February 8 as part of the two-step process of relining a 500-metre-long stretch of sewer in a bid to stop the recurring problems of flooding and leaks. The first closure re-lined 200 metres and the current closure is finishing off the remaining section of sewer needing to be relined.