An oil spill exercise is expected to cause traffic problems in parts of St George’s this week.

A government spokesman said roads in the Whalebone Bay area of Ferry Reach would be closed to the public on Wednesday for the exercise.

The marine area will also be out of bounds for boats.

The exercise was designed to test the island’s ability to manage the environmental effects of an oil spill.

The spokesman said: “Members of the public are kindly asked to avoid the Whalebone Bay area, both on land and at sea, while the exercise is under way.”

He added: “This incident management exercise, with significant equipment deployment, builds upon oil spill training that was provided through government using funding from the UK Maritime Coastguard Agency in preparation for the forthcoming Triple ‘I’ audit by the International Maritime Organisation.”

The Royal Bermuda Regiment Coastguard, Marine and Ports Services, Works and Engineering, the parks department, and the Bermuda Fire and Rescue Service will all be involved in the exercise.

The spokesman said: “This exercise will also test the initial notification procedure to the US National Response Centre in the event of assistance being required under an existing memorandum of understanding.”