THE new year of 2016 promises to be anything but a happy one for drivers coming to Hexham.

For on top of the ongoing parking problems will be a perfect storm of major roadworks and road closures, which will continue throughout the year and run into 2017.

The main road into town from the A69 trunk road – Rotary Way – will be completely closed for six weeks to allow for the re-waterproofing of the bridge over the railway line.

At the same time, there will be massive disruption on Corbridge Road as work begins on the new bus station, while Haugh Lane is also due to be dug up for gas mains renewal.

The work is expected to cause severe disruption throughout the year as Northumbrian Water, Northern Gas, Northern Powergrid and Northumberland County Council itself get out the pneumatic drills and generators to carve up the roads.

The county council co-ordinates all street works and is working with council teams, the utility companies and developers to phase the work in a bid to minimise disruption for the travelling public and local businesses.

However, the council accepts that some of the multiple schemes will cause severe disruption and is asking people to be patient during these periods of essential work, which will ultimately improve services to the local area.

Some of the work is already nearing completion, including the Northumbrian Water scheme on Causey Hill Road to install 600 metres of new water main.

Traffic is being managed by multi-way lights, but the works are due to be completed by the end of this month.

However, Northumbrian Water will also start work on laying a new water main on Corbridge Road from February.

Northern Gas Networks has already started work to renew gas mains in the Gilesgate, Circle Place, Haugh Lane and Alemouth Road areas - also managed by multi-way lights, with some night-time working to reduce congestion.

At the same time as the Northern Gas Networks work in Gilesgate and Haugh Lane, it is intended to co-ordinate some Northern Powergrid work to install new cables in the area.

The county council is starting work on the construction of the new bus station at Loosing Hill on February 1, when the existing car park will be closed completely throughout the six-month job, further exacerbating parking problems.

The council is also planning to make improvements to the pedestrian crossing on Station Road.

The significant and essential piece of work by Network Rail to re-waterproof the deck of the railway bridge on Rotary Way will require a full road closure for an estimated six weeks.

To minimise future disruption the county council will take the opportunity to make use of the road closure to resurface Alemouth Road.

Cabinet member for local services at Northumberland County Council, Coun. Ian Swithenbank, said: “All this work is essential to ensure good gas, electric or water services and also to see improvements for drivers, pedestrians and users of public transport. However, it will unfortunately cause disruption.

“Our street works team works with the utility companies, developers and council teams to phase the work to minimise disruption and ensure efficiency as far as this is possible, and we will also work to provide regular updates on the progress of schemes.”

The council will be working with the Hexham Community Partnership, the town council and event organisers in the town to ensure that any planned events can take place with the minimum of disruption.

Specific dates and details of each scheme will be publicised to motorists, residents and businesses by the agency responsible.