Drivers will face continued roadworks in Ipswich as work starts next week on an £800,000 scheme to replace sewers in the town centre.

Anglian Water will start the scheme earlier than planned to “piggy back” onto council work and minimise disruption.

The investment will see AW upgrade the sewer pipes near the train station, to renew the existing sewers and reduce the risk of flooding.

The initial work – which starts on Monday, June 26, will take six weeks – with the remainder of the scheme scheduled to start in autumn 2017 and due for completion in spring 2018.

The full scheme will involve renewing 1,200 metres of sewers around the town. Work on 200 metres outside the train station has been brought forward by the water company to minimise disruption for local residents and businesses by following on from recent council roadworks in the area.

Regan Harris, from Anglian Water, said: “We know that this kind of work can cause disruption for local people and road users. To minimise this we’ve been working with Suffolk County Council to bring part of this vital scheme forward.

“By doing this we can get into the ground, complete the work as quickly as possible and get things back to normal, under the same traffic management, rather than digging up the road for a second time later in the year.”

The investment will reduce the risk of sewer flooding to Princes Street Bridge and Commercial Road by installing a new sewer pipe as the existing pipe had come to the end of its useful life and needed replacing.

She added: “While the work takes place there will be some traffic lights, lane closures and traffic diversions in place. The initial phase of the works will see a closure of Ranelagh Road, between the junctions of Ancaster Road and Princes Street. The remaining works will take place on Gippeswyk Park, Ancaster Road, Princes St, Commercial Road and Cardinal Park later this year.

“We want to thank road users, residents and businesses for their continued patience while we complete this scheme. Hopefully people will understand how important this work is and can see we are doing all we possibly can to minimise disruption while carrying out this essential investment scheme.”