Portsmouth: Eastern Road reopens after sewer bursts again

A major city route has reopened after a sewer burst and flooded the road.

The incident happened along the A2030 Eastern Road in Portsmouth, causing the southbound carriageway to be closed between Anchorage Road and the roundabout.

Southern Water apologised and said teams had been clearing the water since the early hours of the morning.

After being plagued with flooding issues, the road was recently closed as part of a £1m sewer repair project.

But the sewer main had burst to the south of the section already repaired by Southern Water, Portsmouth City Council said.

The area had been scheduled for relining as part of the third phase of sewer maintenance, according to Southern Water.

However, a spokesperson for the company said the work would now being undertaken early "to avoid more challenging times in the future".

"We have switched off the sewer and are diverting the flow to Cosham Pumping Station and their storm tanks," they said.

"We apologise for the disruption this work has caused residents, businesses and commuters."

Commuters were warned to allow extra time for travelling.

One lane on the northbound side which was shut has also since reopened.

The road has faced recurring issues of flooding and leaks in recent months, prompting criticism across the city.

When the sewer burst for a third time in January, disgruntled drivers described the traffic build-up as an "absolute nightmare".

At the time, one commuter told the BBC: "It just seems to be one leak after another, they don't seem to be fixing it properly."

It was closed in March while Southern Water relined the 300m-long (984ft) sewer.

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