Vital engineering work to replace gas mains in Wealdstone will cause road closures and diversions for two-and-a-half months.

National Grid said its three-phase project to replace ageing metal mains underneath roads near Harrow & Wealdstone Station with new plastic piping would cause disruption, although it will try to ease traffic.

The work starts on September 17 with four weeks of work at the junction of Headstone Drive and Princes Drive, meaning the entrance will be closed, along with the entrance to Walton Road.

Project construction engineer Neil Jackson asked for drivers to “bear with us” while the team carried otu the work.

He added: “Residents and businesses of Harrow have benefited from safe and secure gas supplies for many years, but as part of our job to connect people to the energy they need, we now we need to replace those old pipes.”

The second phase of the work will mean the westbound side of Headstone Drive under the railway bridge being closed for two weeks from October 15, and the final work will mean a full closure of Headstone Drive under the bridge for four weeks, and a southbound closure from Cecil Road from the width restriction to the bridge.

Bus routes H9 and H10 will be diverted during the engineering work, and residents will be able to access their homes throughout.