Update: Queens Drive, Liverpool – emergency road closure after discovery of gas leak

    31 March 2023

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    • Gas leak prompts part closure of Queens Drive, at Walton, since Tuesday
    • Cadent working 24 hours a day; teams working three metres below ground
    • Advice issued to supporters heading to Everton’s home game vs Tottenham

    An emergency closure of part of Queens Drive, Liverpool, is expected to continue into next week as gas engineers work round-the-clock on an urgent repair.

    Cadent, which manages the local gas network, issued an update today on their work to pinpoint and then fix a leak on a pipe that runs three metres below ground.

    Due to the size of the ‘excavation’ – now at 9 metres by 3 metres, and deep – they had option other than to close Queens Drive’s lanes heading southbound (towards the M62), at the junction with Townsend Avenue.

    Cadent has been working on this 24-hours a day and, while progress is being made, is now expecting the work will continue into next week. This will impact traffic heading away from Everton’s match with Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night.

    Checks continue to be made of nearby buildings and Cadent is satisfied everyone is safe. But this urgent work must happen now to make sure it stays that way.

    Dale Martin, Cadent’s Customer Operations Area Manager for Liverpool, said: “This is very challenging engineering, and our absolute priority is keeping everyone safe, always.

    "The size of this excavation is up there with the biggest I’ve been associated with in my 14 years working for the company.

    "That brings additional challenges, to ensure the safety of everyone involved in working at the site.

    “We know it’s not ideal, closing a busy road like this, but we trust and hope people understand we’re doing all we can to get this sorted as quickly as we can.

    “We really do appreciate everyone’s patience. I’d also like to say thank you to the local business owners, and schools, who we have been updating daily.

    Dale added: “We were first alerted to this by a member of the public reporting in a smell of gas. They did exactly the right thing – calling the national gas emergency service on 0800 111 999 so that it could be checked out by our teams.”

    If you smell gas

    If you smell gas during this work, nearby or anywhere, always ring the national gas emergency service immediately, day or night, on  0800 111 999*. Do not delay, or assume it’s related to this work. It may not be and must be checked.

    Cadent in the North West

    Cadent operates four of the UK’s eight gas distribution networks – North West England, West Midlands, Eastern England and North London.

    Its North West network stretches from the Lake District to Crewe and is home to 21,000 miles of distribution pipes (most of them underground) and hundreds of above ground installations. If placed end to end, that amount of pipes would stretch from Liverpool to Sydney, Australia, and back again.

    Around £800m will be invested in the North West’s gas network over the next five years. This will maintain safe, secure supplies to homes, hospitals, schools, offices and other sites, as well as support the UK journey to net zero carbon emissions.

    Backed by Cadent and many partners, the North West region is set to lead the way in a major shift from fossil gases to hydrogen. Producing only heat and water at point of use, hydrogen is key to the UK’s net zero future and is set to be introduced at volume in the North West during the 2020s.

    Cadent

    Cadent is the UK’s largest gas distribution network with a 200-year legacy. We are in a unique position to build on strong foundations whilst encouraging the curiosity to think differently and the courage to embrace change. Day to day we continue to operate, maintain and innovate the UK’s largest gas network, transporting gas safely and protecting people in an emergency. Our skilled engineers and specialists remain committed to the communities we serve, working day and night to ensure gas reaches 11 million homes from Cumbria to North London and the Welsh Borders to East Anglia, to keep your energy flowing.

    Future of Gas:

    Here at Cadent we support the Government’s plans to reach Net Zero by 2050. That means we’re backing the introduction of hydrogen as a low carbon alternative to natural gas for the future. We know people love the controllability of gas and, with our network already in place, it makes sense to switch to the lower carbon alternative offered by hydrogen, which we believe can keep homes and businesses warm for generations to come.

    Cadent manages the national gas emergency service free phone line on behalf of the gas industry - 0800 111 999*

    Cadent Gas Ltd is owned by a consortium of global investors.

    *All calls are recorded and may be monitored.

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