- 3km stretch of vital gas main running alongside A580 upgraded as part of multi-million pound investment by Cadent
- Off-peak only: one-lane of westbound carriageway closed, with reduced speed limit, 9.30am to 3.30pm, Monday to Friday
- Engineers replacing a pipe that is as old as the ‘East Lancs’ itself; new pipe will last until the end of the century
Work started this week (Monday) to upgrade an old metallic gas main that runs next to the A580 East Lancashire Road, near Lowton.
Records indicate the pipe, which transports gas to thousands of homes locally, is as old as the road itself (the A580 was built between the First and Second World Wars).
The diameter of a large car tyre, it has been distributing gas locally – keeping people keep warm and helping cook meals – for generations.
But the pipe has recently started to show signs of its age and local gas network Cadent has decided it now needs to be upgraded.
This is part of a country-wide, multi-million pound investment programme to ensure safe and reliable gas supplies.
Contractors moved in yesterday to begin the major engineering project to upgrade a 3km stretch of pipe between Atherleigh Way and Stone Cross Lane (on the westbound side only, heading towards Liverpool). They are starting at the junction of Newton Road and will first head east, towards Atherleigh Way. The teams will later return to Newton Road to head west towards Stone Cross Lane. The full job is expected to continue to Spring 2019.
The pipe is beside – not under – the road, but the work still requires the closure of one lane of the dual carriageway. This is so that (often large) work vehicles can move along the route safely.
This will be an
off-peak only lane closure (0930 to 1530), Monday to Friday. There will also be a signed reduction of the 60mph speed limit, where it applies to this stretch of the road.
Craig Horrocks, who heads Cadent’s gas main replacement programme in the North West, said: “We’re upgrading our older metallic pipes so that we can keep energy flowing to homes and businesses, safely and reliably.
“We’re installing new durable plastic pipes that will last for at least 80 years.
“We know this is a busy road and we’ve worked hard to minimise disruption, which includes only having a lane closure in place during off-peak times.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we carry out this essential work.”
Every year Cadent replaces hundreds of kilometres of pipes in the North West region, to ensure a safe, reliable ‘on demand’ supply of gas.
Cadent is the UK’s biggest gas network. It maintains and upgrades a network of more than 131,000km of pipes, including around 34,000km in the North West. If placed end-to-end, that North West amount would stretch from the East Lancashire Road to Sydney, Australia, and back again.
www.bettergaspipes.co.uk
FACTFILE: history of the ‘East Lancs’ (source Wikipedia)
- The A580 (officially the Liverpool–East Lancashire Road or colloquially the East Lancs) is the United Kingdom's first purpose-built intercity highway.
- The road, which remains a primary A road, was officially opened by King George V on 18 July 1934.
- It links Walton in Liverpool to Salford, about three miles west of Manchester city centre.
- The road is known colloquially as the "East Lancs Road" or simply "the Lancs".
- The road was built to provide better access between the Port of Liverpool and the industrial areas of East Lancashire, around Manchester.
- It is actually ‘unfinished’ – a decision was made later not to carry on with taking the road through to Eastern sections of the old Lancashire county area.