THE Victoria Embankment may have to close to vehicles for six months in both directions after problems emerged linked to the construction of the £4 billion “super sewer”.

However it will remain open to cyclists using the cycle superhighway, Transport for London told the Standard today.

Two gas mains under the Embankment, which serve 50,000 properties, are at risk of being damaged by the sewer and may have to be rebuilt.

The westbound lane will be closed for six weeks from August 6 to allow the risk to the gas pipes to be assessed.

There will be no vehicle access to Victoria Embankment westbound from Southwark Bridge.

If the investigation confirms that the mains have to be replaced, the Embankment would close from April 29 next year for up to six months between Westminster Bridge and Southwark Bridge.

TfL said today that the cycle superhighway would remain open during the six-week investigation and if the Embankment were closed next year.

Glynn Barton, TfL’s director of network management, said: “Due to essential gas work by Cadent Gas, there will be changes to travel along Victoria Embankment from 6 August to mid-September this year.

“We are working with Tideway and Cadent to ensure the impact of the work is minimised as much as possible and the cycle superhighway will remain open for the duration of the work. Full travel advice will be available on the TfL website from next week.

“The work this year is a trial ahead of full gas main replacement next year. Further details of next year’s work will be available once this summer’s trial hole work has been completed. The cycle superhighway will also remain open during next year’s work.”

A briefing document below from Tideway, the firm building the super sewer, confirms the six-week partial closure for investigations and, if necessary, “the closure of the Victoria Embankment in both directions for up to six months in 2019”.

Work began on the 16-mile super sewer in January 2017. It is due to be completed in 2024. It will modernise London’s 150-year-old waste infrastructure and prevent raw sewage being discharged into the Thames,

At present, drivers heading north over Blackfriars bridge cannot turn west onto the Embankment, while a small section of the cycle superhighway is diverted into the main carriageway.

The gas investigations starting in August will require a much greater diversion of traffic, potentially bringing even greater problems to a route that often grinds to a halt due to the number of black taxis, Uber cars and delivery vehicles.

A Tideway spokesman said: “Tideway is working with Cadent to assess utility infrastructure close to our Blackfriars site adjacent to Victoria Embankment.

“These works will require a westbound closure for six weeks from August this year. We are working with Transport for London to minimise disruption and the Cycle Superhighway will remain open throughout the works. Full travel information will be available via TfL from next week.

“Depending on the outcome of these works, there may need to be further works next year. The Cycle Superhighway will remain open if these go ahead.”

The revelation about the gas works, by LBC’s Nick Ferrari breakfast show, sparked criticism of former Mayor Boris Johnson.

It was claimed that Mr Johnson was made aware in 2015 of the potential for problems on the Embankment but he decided to press ahead with his £59m cycle superhighway, causing a year of traffic disruption, rather than postponing it to enable the work to be carried out simultaneously with the super sewer.

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers’ Association, today called on Mayor Sadiq Khan to use the Tideway work as an opportunity to re-route the cycle superhighway off the Embankment.

Despite having been used by about 650,000 800,000 cyclists since mid-February, some drivers believe it causes congestion. Mr McNamara told LBC: “Sadiq needs to grab this opportunity to put right Boris’ wrongs.”

Lib-Dem leader Vince Cable accused Mr Johnson of a “cynical use of large amounts of public money” by completing the cycle superhighway before he left office rather than tying its construction into the super sewer schedule.