HIGHWAYS chiefs have closed Cemetery Road in Lye due to safety fears.

Dudley Council traffic bosses have issued an urgent temporary road closure order for the street amid fears an underground chamber has collapsed - making the road unsafe.

They say they are still waiting for more information from Severn Trent about what has happened but the road has been closed between the A3036 Pedmore Road and the A458 Stourbridge Road for safety reasons until a clearer picture emerges.

Traffic will be diverted via Pedmore Road and Stourbridge Road (anti-clockwise) and Stourbridge Road, Lye-by-pass and Pedmore Road (clockwise).

The road is expected to be closed until Thursday October 8 while reconstruction work takes place.

A spokesman for the council's highways department said: "Due to the location of the excavation there will be no access to Overman Close for the duration of the works."

A spokesperson for Severn Trent water company added: “We’re really sorry for any disruption this temporary road closure might be causing.

"We’ve done this to keep everyone safe while we carry out some essential maintenance on a stretch of pipe that runs along Cemetery Road.

"We’re working hard to get this done and return the road back to normal as quickly and as safely as possible.”