Major gas main repairs are expected to cause “six weeks of chaos” on Barnet’s roads when engineers begin work next week.

National Grid is closing off one end of Totteridge Lane, a major commuter route in to the borough, for more than a month while workmen replace ageing metal gas mains with plastic pipes.

Totteridge Lane will be closed to all traffic at the junction with Whetstone High Road, which is controlled by automated traffic lights, throughout the maintenance period.

St Margaret’s Avenue will also be blocked off, though Totteridge Lane residents will be permitted to use the cut-through for access to their homes.

Work begins on Wednesday, July 24, and could take six weeks to complete but some neighbours claim the disruption has not been well publicised.

Stella McCrystal, of Totteridge Lane, said: “They’ve put a couple of metal road signs up but the cars can’t stop for long enough to read them.

“The junction is chaotic anyway – the queues are already huge and the lights system is crazy. The diversions are not clear enough – it is going to be chaos.”

National Grid said in a re-released statement: “It’s our job to ensure people and businesses are safely and reliably connected to the energy they use. This piece of work is vital in ensuring this continues in Barnet.

“We’ve worked closely with the local council to ensure that disruption to local residents is kept to a minimum as we fully understand how busy this junction can be. Sign posts will be set up in advance and throughout the works detailing diversion routes.”