A number of traffic routes will be restricted as Belco resumes trenching, the power company has said.

The move is part of its transmission upgrade initiative and swings back into action from Monday.

Trenching will resume on North Shore Road, Devonshire, from Loyal Hill Road to Store Hill with the works expected to continue to July.

Traffic will be restricted to one lane with controls in place.

Belco has asked motorists to “drive carefully through this section, or make use of detour routes via Barker's Hill or Store Hill to Middle Road”.

Trenching will also resume on Palmetto Road in the westbound lane towards the Department of Public Transportation bus depot entrance, and is expected to run until February.

A Belco spokesman said: “Traffic controls will be in place and motorists are asked, if possible, to avoid this lane closure section on Palmetto Road by using alternative routes via Robert's Avenue, Frog Lane, North Shore Road, Dock Hill or Middle Road for the duration of this trench work.

“Palmetto Road will have one lane open for traffic and its flow will be changed to accommodate morning and afternoon rush hours.

“During morning rush hours between 7.30am and 9am, Palmetto Road's traffic flow will be Westbound only.

“Traffic flow for Tynes Bay Domestic Waste Drop-Off will also be westbound only during rush hour to allow for motorists to enter through the exit gate to gain access to the drop-off area and exit through the entrance gate to merge with Palmetto Road's westbound traffic.

“After 9am, Palmetto Road's traffic flow will be eastbound only until the following morning rush hour.

“Motorists wanting to gain access to the Tynes Bay facility will have to detour at the roundabout via North Shore Road to Dock Hill to reach Palmetto Road to enter as usual into the drop-off driveway.”

Wayne Caines, the Belco president, said the upheaval was necessary to help to combat climate change.

He said: “We are in the final stages of our transmission upgrade project and I appreciate the public’s patience and understanding as these essential works take place.

“Once completed we will have a more robust grid that will assist in our journey to achieving net zero.”