Fylde: Peel Road to reopen after completion of major work to repair a gas leak while keeping gas flowing to heat 30,000 homes in the local area

Gas engineers have confirmed major work to repair a leak on a pipe under Peel Road, Ballam, has been finished and the road will reopen later today.
 
Teams from Cadent have worked in difficult conditions to fix the pipe and ensure gas continued to flow to help heat 30,000 homes in the local area.
 
Facing extra challenges due to the close proximity of an electricity pylon and an electricity sub-station, as well as severe weather, the job is now almost complete.
 
Teams are reinstating the road surface now, which has included reinforcing the banks, and this well-used road will be reopen to traffic by close of play today (Monday).
 
Kevin Thompson, customer operations area manager for Cadent, said: “This has been a very difficult, challenging job.
 
“We’ve had to install over 100 metres of new pipes under the road – and that’s not an easy task under normal circumstances. But we’ve faced the extra challenge of the nearby electricity pylons, as well as severe weather.
 
“We know it’s been far from ideal to have closed this road. We just couldn’t keep a safe distance between our work and passing traffic. So, we appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as we got this work done.”
 
Among those to praise the team is Fylde MP Mark Menzies, who has been kept informed and visited the site during the works.
 
He said: “I appreciate how frustrating the road closure has been for local people but know how essential this work has been.
 
“I am grateful to the Cadent teams who have worked in challenging weather and difficult conditions to complete these repairs safely while maintaining supplies to thousands of homes in Lytham and St Annes.”

Cadent in the North West

Cadent manages the gas distribution network in North West England – more than 21,000 miles of underground pipes that transport gas to heat homes, hospitals, schools, offices and other buildings, as well as its many industrial uses and increasing popularity as a fuel for HGVs and other heavy vehicles.
 
This huge network of pipes will be a key part of UK and local journeys to net zero carbon emissions, with Cadent preparing it to be able to carry hydrogen instead of fossil gas within years. Hydrogen, a zero-carbon gas at point of use, is on track to start being introduced in the North West from this decade. www.cadentgas.com/future-of-gas/