A ROAD will close at the end of the month when work starts on a major bridge replacement for Sunderland's Metro extension.

The work will start at Hylton Road on Tuesday, August 29, and is scheduled for completion in April next year.

It will mean that Hylton Road will be closed to vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians between St Marks Road North and Westbury Street.

Diversions will be in place and Railtrack and transport executive Nexus will lay on buses for schoolchildren inconvenienced by the work.

The £98m extension will bring the Metro along Railtrack-owned lines from Pelaw to Sunderland and on to South Hylton. Kieran Dunkin, project manager for the extension, said: "We apologise for any inconvenience caused to people living and working in this area.

"The work is vital in delivering the Sunderland Direct project and is a real sign of investment improving integrated transport in Sunderland.