EXCAVATIONS have begun in a city centre street as part of a project to replace water pipes.

Severn Trent Water has now started digging up The Shambles as part of a project intended to prevent leaks and bursts.

Gareth Mead, from Severn Trent, said: “This work is really important for the people of Worcester as it means they’ll have a water supply they can rely on for future generations.

“The older pipes get, the more likely they are to burst and cause problems for our customers, so doing this work now means we can make sure the water keeps flowing in Worcester.

“We know this is a busy area of town, and every effort has been made to minimise any disruption caused.

“There will be some traffic restrictions in place so our teams can work safely but all businesses will remain open during our work and pedestrian access along The Shambles will always be available.

“This is essential work to benefit locals and we hope our work doesn’t cause too much of an inconvenience.”

The road closure is permitted from July 30 to October 12.

The contractor Amey is carrying out the work. The project started on August 8.