PART of Sheerness High Street will be closed for 12 weeks from January 6 while Transco engineers replace gas mains running either side of the road.

The closure will run between the High Street junction with Bridge Road and Millennium Way. The company said access would be maintained for emegency and delivery vehicles.

Traders will be asked where possible to restrict deliveries to the rear of properties or to early morning or late afternoon. The work to insert new gas mains inside the existing mains will be the second phase of the scheme.

In the first phase, from about October 28 for six weeks, a new reinforcement main will be laid along Millennium Way from the Bridge Road junction to Hope Way. This is needed to support the downsizing of the High Street mains.

A third phase in March next year for five weeks will see a replacement main installed along Broadway from the Clock Tower to the Trinity Road junction.