ROADWORKS will start on Cowley Road today as part of a major gas pipe project spanning almost five months.

SGN will start £250,000 works on the busy East Oxford road today, to replace the old gas mains with a new plastic pipe.

Works start at the Marsh Road junction and temporary traffic lights will be in place during peak hours, though SGN did not state exact timings.

The company expects works to last 19 weeks until the end of September, with a break between Friday, June 29 until Monday, July 2 in support of Cowley Road Carnival that weekend.

Workers will gradually progress in the direction of The Plain roundabout, stopping at the junction with Kenilworth Avenue.

This will cause temporary road closures at the junctions of Shelley Road, Glanville Road, Cumberland Road and Howard Street.

A statement about the Cowley Road works on SGN's website said: "We understand that people can get frustrated by roadworks.

"However, the new plastic pipe has a minimum lifespan of 80 years.

"This means that when the work is complete, people will continue to enjoy the benefits of a safe and reliable gas supply for years to come."