A BUSY town centre street is to close to traffic for 16 weeks. Upper Brook Street will shut for a gas mains replacement project and so the road can be given a facelift in May.

A BUSY town centre street is to close to traffic for 16 weeks.

Upper Brook Street will shut for a gas mains replacement project and so the road can be given a facelift in May.

Ipswich Council, which is carrying out the project with the National Grid, is to hold a consultation on the plans on Wednesday evening.

National Grid engineers will replace cast iron gas mains with durable and long-lasting plastic pipes and council workers will install block paving, new road surfacing and enhanced lighting.

By working together the council and the National Grid will be able to carry out seven months of work in 16 weeks and it means the road will only have to be closed once.

The essential gas mains replacement will be carried out while road surfaces, paving and lighting are improved.

Pedestrians will still have access to Upper Brook Street.

A council spokesman said: “We realise this will cause inconvenience to bus passengers and retailers but we are determined to keep this to a minimum and to provide a more attractive environment for shoppers and businesses.

“We want to give as much advance notice as we can so people are kept informed.”

The council is speaking to affected businesses and will hold a consultation event in Robert Cross Hall at the Corn Exchange on Wednesday between 4pm and 9pm. Detailed drawings will be displayed.

Karl Shipp, from the National Grid, said: “We always aim to minimise any disruption caused by our works to the local community so we were delighted to have this opportunity to conduct our works in tandem with Ipswich Borough Council.

“We believe this approach will bring real benefits. Our work will enable local people to continue to benefit from a safe and reliable gas supply for many years and is part of a national mains replacement programme developed with the Health and Safety Executive.

“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience caused and assure people that every effort will be made to complete the works as safely and promptly as possible.”

The closure will start in mid-May. More information will be issued nearer the time.

Will the closure of Upper Brook Street harm businesses? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or e-mail eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk