THIRTEEN weeks of roadworks have begun in Wellington - causing congestion throughout the town. 

Wales and Wessex Water is carrying out works to upgrade old metal pipes to new plastic ones from Lancer Court up to the High Street junction with Priory. 

The £85,000 works started on January 2 and are expected to last 13 weeks. 

Four-way traffic lights are in place. 

Wales & West Utilities programme controller Barry Sale, said: “We know that working on roads like these is not ideal, but it really is essential to make sure we keep the gas flowing to homes and businesses in the area and to make sure the gas network is fit for the future.

"We’ll have a team of gas engineers on site throughout the project to make sure our work is completed as safely and as quickly as possible while keeping disruption to a minimum.

“We’re very aware of the effect that our work can have on communities and commuters and want to ensure everyone that we are working closely with Somerset County Council to get this essential work done as quickly as possible, while causing the least inconvenience to local people.”