A one point three million pound programme to replace major gas mains on the Barbican begins today.

It means around eight months of roadworks.

From today Sutton Road is closed for at least eight weeks and there are temporary lights on Notte Street - areas such as Vauxhall street, Sutton wharf and Bretonside will also be affected during the course of the works.

Businesses in Sutton Road are still open as usual and can be accessed via the southern end, from Barbican Approach.

Wales and West utilities say they need to do the work at this time of year to minimise the impact of interrupting the gas supply - they add that otherwise they would have had to dig deep trenches and the work would have taken longer.

The firm says it will keep communicating with local businesses but local businessowners claim they haven't been given enough information and that the disruption caused will knock their takings.