- Leak identified on gas main that runs deep under A57 Eccles New Road
- Agreement reached for engineers to begin repair works this Thursday (16 June)
- Eccles New Road will be closed, in the westbound direction, for several weeks
- Teams will work on this ‘live’ (gas stays on), with safety as top priority
Teams from local gas network Cadent are working to fix a leak identified on a gas pipe under Eccles New Road.
They suspect the leak is coming from a joint on a pipeline that runs at least three metres beneath this busy road.
Everything is under control and being monitored, but this does needs fixing as emergency works.
Cadent has agreed with Salford City Council to begin work on Thursday (16 June).
Specialist teams will dig a deep trench and this will encroach on both lanes of the westbound carriageway.
It is not possible to create a work area that would allow traffic to pass safely.
Eccles New Road will therefore need to be closed, westbound only, between Stott Lane and Ladywell Roundabout.
A diversion will be signposted. The two eastbound lanes (heading towards Weaste and Salford Quays) will remain open.
This pipeline is part of a network that distributes gas to thousands of homes in the local area, for heating, hot water and cooking.
There should be no interruption to gas supply, as the engineers will work on the repair ‘live’ (ie. gas stays on as they do it).
“The leak is under control, but is in a very difficult place for us to access,” said Mark Berry, Head of Customer Operations, Cadent.
“Our priority is keeping everyone safe, but we are also working very hard to keep traffic flowing as well as keep gas flowing into people’s homes.
“We appreciate everyone’s patience while we carry out this work, and know too that it will cause traffic issues in the local area.
“Once we’ve got down to the pipe and assessed the nature of the leak, we’ll have a much better idea how long this will take.
“At this stage, we expect our work will continue into July.
“We’re working closely with Salford City Council to complete the work as quickly as we can, but safely.”
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 the North West 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, and provide greener options for heating our homes.
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 this decade (see
www.hynet.co.uk).