Crumbling Victorian sewers in Chippenham are to be repaired and replaced by Wessex Water as part of a £400,000 improvement scheme.

This vital work, which starts on Monday 29 January, will help to protect the local environment, businesses and homes from the risk of sewer flooding.

Built over 100 years ago, Chippenham's sewers have suffered from age and the impact of heavy traffic on the roads above, causing the walls to collapse and the sewer flows blocked.

At the same time, misconnections between foul and surface water sewers have caused pollution problems in the local environment.

To repair or reline the sewers, Wessex Water is using specialist, no dig techniques which helps to reduce the time it takes to carry out this essential work from several months to just eight weeks.

These repairs are absolutely essential and without them the sewers will continue to deteriorate, homes and properties will be flooded, and the local environment and nearby river affected,'' said Barry Burtenshaw, capital maintenance engineer.

Sewers in New Road are particularly affected, with large voids opening up in the ancient walls but using relining technology Wessex Water is able to rebuild the sewer from the inside, gaining access from existing manholes.

A short stretch of New Road, from the viaduct to Station Hill, will need to be closed for up to two weeks. Advanced warning signs will advise traffic of the closure and diversion.

This road closure will also enable a new foul sewer to be built across the bottom of Station Hill, where foul sewers were previously misconnected to the surface water sewer.

In Foghamshire, new sewers are being excavated and constructed to cope with increasing sewer flows. These will be linked to a new sewer constructed at the junction of Foghamshire with New Road - traffic lights will be in operation while this work is carried out.

The programme of work is as follows: 29 January: Trial holes dug in Foghamshire to identify geology and local services 6 February : Start of construction of stretch of new sewer in New Road at junction with Foghamshire. Traffic light controls in place 19 February: Stretch of New Road to junction with Station Hill closed for sewer relining, new sewer construction and Network Rail viaduct repairs 26 February : New sewers constructed in Foghamshire.

To minimise disruption in the town, we have programmed this essential work to take place after the busy Christmas and new year periods and have timed it to avoid work on a property in Foghamshire but to coincide with work being carried out by Network Rail,'' said Mr Burtenshaw.

To reduce the impact on motorists, Network Rail is carrying out repairs to the viaduct while New Road is closed.

Wessex Water has sent out letters and a leaflet explaining the work to more than 7,000 people living in the Chippenham area and has consulted extensively with local businesses, town councillors and Wiltshire County Council to ensure the work causes minimum disruption.

Information boards explaining the work have also been placed in key areas, including Chippenham train station, Wiltshire College and the Olympiad leisure centre.

I'd like to reassure local people that we will do all we can to speed up this work, and to keep the disruption to an absolute minimum,'' added Mr Burtenshaw.