A planned month-long road closure in Sidbury for gas pipe work has been replaced with smaller and shorter closures.

Cotford Road was due to close between Cotford Bridge and Chelsea Cottage from Monday, February 28 until Friday, March 25.

But local residents and the district councillor for Sidmouth Rural Ward, John Loudoun, contacted Wales & West Utilities to raise concerns about the disruption this would cause, and the company has now changed its plans.

Buckley Road will be closed at its junction with A375 Cotford Road with a diversion in place until Wednesday, February 23.

From Monday, February 28 until Friday, March 4, Cotford Road will be closed from Cotford Bridge to Roncombe Lane – including the first 100m of Roncombe Lane. A diversion route will be clearly signposted. Barring any engineering difficulties, Cotford Road will reopen on March 4.

From Monday, March 7 until Monday 14, the first 100m of Roncombe Lane will remain closed. Access to Cotford Road will be maintained for homes on Roncombe Lane.

From March 14, three-way traffic lights will be in place on Cotford Road at Cotford Bridge and Buckley Lane. Barring engineering difficulties, these lights are expected to be in place for one week.

The overall work is expected to finish by the end of March.

Wales & West Utilities' Jake Sami is managing the gas pipe upgrade work. He said: “We’re pleased that we’ve been able to update our plans to act on the views of the local community. We’re committed to working alongside local people to make sure we can do our essential work while keeping disruption to a minimum.”

Cllr Loudoun said: “These are clearly essential works. I’m grateful to Wales & West Utilities for having reacted positively, and swiftly, to the concerns that I, and some residents, raised about the length of time and the impact on the flow of traffic along the A375, and through the village, that these works, as originally planned, would have had.

“Residents will be pleased that the disruption that these works will bring has now been significantly reduced. I am pleased to have been able to work constructively with Wales & West Utilities on behalf of the village.”

The company’s Customer Service Team can be contacted on freephone 0800 912 2999, via Twitter @WWUtilities or Facebook.com/WWUtilities.