WORK has begun on a seven week-long £320,000 upgrade of the gas main in the Woodstock Road area.

Southern Gas Networks started work in Woodstock Road last week after completing the stretch in Bainton Road and Frenchay Road.

Claire Buchanan, a spokesman for Southern Gas Networks, said: “This essential work will ensure a continued safe and reliable gas supply to the local area.

“We will continue to work with the local authority and the local community throughout our works and would like to thank everyone for their patience while we complete this project.”

This section of the work is expected to take four weeks and during that time one of the lanes will be closed.

Temporary traffic lights will be in operation 24 hours a day and they will be manually operated them at peak times to minimise disruption to traffic as much as possible.

Southern Gas Networks has agreed this work in advance with Oxfordshire County Council, the highways authority.

Once this section of work is completed the roadworks will move further down Woodstock Road but will be taking place in a bus lane, meaning traffic should not be disrupted.

The work is expected to be fully completed by the start of April.