Five months of roadworks affecting one of Wimbledon's busiest streets kicked off this morning - and are set to last till Christmas.

The major work to replace gas pipes beneath Merton Road will cause disruption for residents and commuters until December, some of who say they were given little notice.

Southern Gas Networks (SGN), the organisation carrying out the work, said it is vital it replaces the pipes, some which are a century old.

But one local councillor has already pledged to make sure the company performs better than it did on its last visit to the area.

Earlier this year SGN replaced pipes in nearby Kingston Road and was criticised by residents and businesses for overrunning by several weeks and not maintaining the site in a safe condition.

Councillor Henry Nelles said: "I appreciate the work has to be done, but I will make sure they do it as fast as they can and causing as little disruption as possible. Last time I had a lot of concerns expressed to me.

"I will be keeping the pressure on and making sure the timetable they have provided is followed up on."

Steven Thorpe, the owner of SGT Motorcycles in Merton Road, said the roadworks could be a huge problem for local businesses.

He said: "It's going to be a lot of disruption and a lot of mess. It will affect our passing trade - and it's going to affect all Wimbledon businesses."

Ellen Jeames, chairman of the Battles Residents' Association, said residents would be disappointed not to have received more notice of the work.

She said: "It would be sensible for the company to warn more residents about this significantly in advance."

The company have attended two public meetings to discuss the project. At one on Monday night, a representative from SGN said that the work was vital to replace pipes that were up to 100 years old. He said they were committed to finishing the work on time, and would be fined by the council if they failed to do so.

Letters have been sent to residents and businesses close to the works, but this only includes properties in Merton Road and some of the houses on roads branching off it. The day before the work began there were no warning signs on Merton Road itself.

An SGN spokesman later said they would be working with the council and emergency services to minimise disruption, and urged local people to contact the company with any problems or questions. She added that the work in Kingston Road had overrun because extra pipes had unexpectedly been found beneath the surface of the road.

The works are part of a larger programme of pipe replacements likely to affect the Broadway once work on Merton Road has been.