Customer CentreIf you have any immediate concerns you would like to discuss, you can call our customer care centre on 0800 085 4478.
We are open from 8.00am to 8.00pm Monday to Friday.
You can also email us any time at [email protected]
We have developed a project to fully replace over 2.6kilometres of metal pipes along Bellhouse Lane, Rayleigh Road and Snakes Lane.
The existing pipes were laid over 80-100 years ago and over the years there have been multiple repairs, resulting in extensive traffic management. This project will eliminate the need for recurrent repairs and also enhance the reliability of our gas network to ensure customers are safe and warm long into the future.
Phases 1-3 Bellhouse Lane – rolling road closure
Phases 4-5 Bellhouse Crescent – rolling road closure
Phases 6-7 Bellhouse Road – rolling road closure
Phases 8-10 Bellhouse Road - no traffic management
Rayleigh Road – 15 June to 24 August
Working from Prince Avenue along Rayleigh Road northwards towards just before Willow Close
Phase 1 No Traffic management needed along this first phase of works on Rayleigh Road. Pedestrian crossing points available
Phases 2-4 Northbound lane closure along Rayleigh Road
Phases 5-6 Brooklands Avenue and Park Avenue no traffic management
Snakes Lane – 20 July to 31 August
Phase 1-6 Work along Snakes Lane - Westbound road closure
Working hours:
Engineering teams will be working extended hours.
Example of the hours and work to be completed:
Scan the QR code to send us a question:
Our work to replace ageing gas mains is a major engineering project, which we’ve planned carefully with the local authority and where possible, we’ll use innovative methods and technology to minimise disruption and reduce the time taken to do this work.
We are working extended hours but not 24hrs. We do not want to disturb people at night when they are sleeping.
We need to carry out our work during the day as we need access to properties to upgrade their gas service (that’s the smaller pipe that connects gas to their property). When we do this, we need to turn off their gas supply temporarily, test their gas appliances and turn their gas back on.
We’ve notified the bus companies of our works and plans are in place for buses to follow the diversions if necessary. Bus stop suspensions will be in place if necessary.
This is a common question we encounter; we’ve contacted the refuse companies to advise them of our work and we’ll work closely with them to ensure collections take place as normal on the dedicated day each week.
There may be times when the team isn’t visible on site during the allotted hours. Although it may appear that no one is working at the site itself, they’ll be working in surrounding roads to insert pipes, make connections and to carry out testing, as well as allow for concrete curing. It is only once we are satisfied that the new pipe is safely supplying gas to customers that we can fill in the holes and tidy up.
Should the need arise, emergency vehicles will need to follow the short diversions.
Yes, we will maintain access to properties during road closures.
Yes, we will endeavour to keep footpaths open as the majority of our pipes are in the carriageway.
Once the work is complete, we’ll fill in the holes and resurface the area we’ve dug up, to nationally approved highways standards. We match the colour and texture to the existing surfaces as closely as we can, but new surfaces will take time to weather.
There may be times when holes have not been filled back in. This is due to sound operational reasons. For example, the nature of our work means it’s often necessary for a hole to remain open to provide access to gas pipes in connection with gas pipes in other roads that we’re working in.
We have a commitment to fill holes and return the paths and driveways on your property back to normal within five working days of your gas going back on. If you have a path or driveway made of specialist or hard-to-source materials, such as printed concrete, this may take slightly longer.
You’re invited to join us for a community meeting where we’ll explain why we’re upgrading the gas pipes, how we’re going to do it and answer any questions you have.
Please scan the QR code to confirm your attendance. If you can’t make it, we’re happy to send you the information – just email us your details.
We will hold further community meetings for our works on Rayleigh Road and Snakes Lane at a later date, closer to the start of each of these projects. We will send letters to the properties along these roads, so you will know when the meetings will happen. We will also update this page.
