DETAILS of the roadworks set to bring central Brighton to a standstill have been revealed.

North Street, the city’s busiest bus route, will be closed to through traffic for eight weeks while it is resurfaced.

Southern Water is repairing damage caused by the replacement of Victorian water mains ten years ago.

The exact start date of work is still to be released, however the entire section of road between West Street and East Street will be closed except to residents and deliveries, from mid-September. 

The 100 buses an hour that use the road will be diverted but the route is yet to be decided.

Work will begin with the top layer of Tarmac being removed from the northern side before the concrete underneath can be examined and repaired.

The new road surface will include a layer of reinforced asphalt.

North Street has suffered from successive years of slapdash repairs. When the water main was originally replaced in 2007, the replacement surface was not strong enough to cope with the heavy volume of traffic. Traders said repairs in 2012 costs them thousands in lost business.

Brighton and Hove Bus Company refused to send vehicles down the road in 2015 because the surface was badly damaged, then blamed a drop of more than a million journeys on roadworks.

A spokesman for Southern Water said the plan have been developed in liaison with Brighton and Hove City Council.

He said: “This means the North Street project is part of a fully co-ordinated schedule taking into account other works across the city.

“Together with the city council, we are working closely with Brighton and Hove Buses and other community representatives to make sure everyone is fully informed and engaged.

“We will publish regular updates about what’s happening, so people can plan ahead accordingly.”