- First phase of major project to replace ageing gas mains gets underway in London Road, West Thurrock
- Project will help ensure local people keep on enjoying safe and reliable gas supplies
- Local shops and businesses will remain open for business as usual
The first phase of an essential major project to replace ageing gas mains in London Road is about to begin.
Work is due to start on Tuesday 8 May. Ageing pipes will be replaced with tough, highly durable new gas mains which will help ensure local homes, businesses and community facilities remain connected to safe and reliable gas supplies for cooking and heating. Due to the size and position of the mains being replaced engineers will need to dig open trenches to install the new mains. The mains are located deep below the ground and the concrete the engineers will have to dig through is reinforced having been fortified to withstand aerial bombardment by the Luftwaffe in World War Two. Therefore digging will take longer than usual.
Phase one of the project will involve replacing gas mains in London Road between the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge (A282) and Motherwell Way. From Tuesday 8 May, work will be carried out overnight from 7pm to 5am, using temporary traffic lights, until the junction of St Clements Way is reached. Cadent will also carry out essential work on the other side of the bridge. To enable work to be carried out safely London Road will be closed to eastbound traffic between Motherwell Way and Weston Avenue from Monday 21 May. A diversion will be in place on Oliver Road. This phase of work is scheduled to finish in October 2018.
Local shops and businesses will remain open as usual.
Cadent Authorising Engineer Michael Morris said: “We’ve working closely with Thurrock Council to make sure this essential work is delivered with as little disruption as possible.”
“As part of our efforts to reduce inconvenience the work will be done in phases and we’ll also be simultaneously carrying out work at multiple locations in the same area to reduce inconvenience.”
He added: “Our work will help ensure local people stay connected to safe and reliable gas supplies for cooking and heating and also cut the number of disruptive unplanned repair jobs required on ageing gas mains.”
Phase two of the project is scheduled to begin in May 2019.
If anyone has any questions about the work they can contact the project’s Community Relations Team on 0800 389 8261 alternatively they can email
info@communityrelations.co.uk for more information.
For 24-hour operational enquiries people should call 0800 096 5678.
This work is part of Cadent’s ongoing investment across its network to replace and upgrade old gas mains with safer and more durable modern pipes.