MOTORISTS are being advised to plan ahead as a major route into Stourbridge is being made one-way while emergency repairs are carried out.

Cadent has been working to repair a gas leak on Birmingham Street, Stourbridge, over recent weeks and to date they have been able to do the work with one lane open, allowing traffic to move in both directions.

To complete the work, however, Cadent has advised Dudley Council it is essential to make Birmingham Street one-way from today (Thursday August 13) as it carries out further work on either side of the carriageway.

They have assured the council that access to frontages will be maintained where safe and access to the tip will be maintained at all times while the work is carried out in two stages.

The first stage will see the road closed to eastbound traffic coming out of Stourbridge town centre.

Motorists will be diverted along St Johns Road, Hagley Road (A491) to the traffic island junction with Ham Lane, Ham Lane (A4036), Grange Lane (A4036), Pedmore Road (A4036), left into Stourbridge Road (A458) and Birmingham Street (A458).

The second stage of the work will see the road closed to westbound traffic heading into Stourbridge.

The diversion will direct cars along Pedmore Road (A4036), Grange Lane (A4036), Ham Lane (A4036) to the island junction of Hagley Road, Hagley Road (A491), New Road (Ring Road), Bath Rad (Ring Road), St Johns Road (Ring Road), Birmingham Street.

High-side vehicles are warned there is a low bridge on Stourbridge Road with a 4.5m/14’9” restriction so they may need to plan an alternative route.

Councillor Karen Shakespeare, Dudley's cabinet member for environmental, highways and street services, said: "I apologise for any inconvenience this will cause to people travelling in and out of Stourbridge.

"We’re working closely with Cadent to ensure this emergency work to ensure services can be maintained and are safe is carried out as quickly as possible.

"At this stage we’re not able to confirm the date when the one-way diversion will be switched from eastbound to westbound traffic so I would urge motorists to follow the diversion signs."

The works are expected to be taking place until Monday August 24.