SOUTH East Water is advising residents and motorists in Alton to plan ahead as contractors continue the laying of a major new water main along Whitedown Lane.

Temporary traffic lights will be in place for this final phase of a £1.4m project to lay a new 3,000-metre pipeline to serve properties at the south-west end of town.

The project, which began at the end of January, has seen the laying of a new water main across private land to link the Windmill Hill reservoir to Selborne Road and Butts Road.

With a break in June to prevent disruption to the town’s Regency Week celebrations, work continued around The Butts and tomorrow (Tuesday) contractors will tackle the final stretch along Whitedown Lane.

The work will culminate at the junction of Whitedown Lane (A339) with the B3349 Odiham Road and is expected to take between 10 and 12 weeks to complete.

Matthew Cooper, project manager at South East Water, said: “I would like to thank local residents and motorists for their patience throughout this programme, which is now nearing its conclusion.

“We are currently finishing work along The Butts and we expect to return this area to its original condition over the weekend and at the start of next week before we move onto Whitedown Lane.

“We know roadworks are frustrating but we would like to assure everyone that we will be working as quickly as possible to get this phase of work completed.”

The scheme forms part of the company’s £424m investment programme between 2015 and 2020.