SOLIHULL is set to face up to three months of traffic disruptions as work to replace gas pipes gets under way.
Engineers from Cadent are due to replace gas pipes which have served Solihull for over 50 years on Warwick Road over a 12-week period from January 26 and April 17.
Due to the location of the gas main the work taking place Cadent say multiway traffic lights will be in place to ensure that engineers can work safely.
While Warwick Road will remain open, there will be some impact on neighbouring roads including Wadleys Road, Chadley Close, Silhill Hall Road, Mirfield Road, Buryfield Road, Grange Road, Ashleigh Road, Dunsmore Grove, Heaton Road, Seven Star Road and Broad Oaks Road.
The project in Warwick Road, Solihull, will see more than 3,000 metres of gas main pipelines – which were installed in the 1970s – being replaced with tough new pipes which will last for decades, future-proofing the local network.
Phil Carmichael, head of operations for Cadent in the West Midlands, said: “In this part of Solihull, more than 85 per cent of homes have gas central heating. Upgrading these pipelines will ensure we can continue to distribute gas safely to them, for many decades to come.
“These upgrades also have big environmental gains, as they reduce methane emissions and enable a move to more renewable gases like biomethane. This is essential for a cleaner future – the UK will need energy to come from a range of sources to meet demand and be sustainable.
“We have worked with the local highways team, as well as local authorities to try our best to ensure that we minimise disruption, whilst we carry out these essential works.
“We are very conscious of the disruption works like this cause and hope people can accept this project is essential to maintain a safe gas supply.”
Cadents said gas will stay on for the duration of the works and the only interruption to supply will be to properties that take a direct feed from the pipes being replaced (in the immediate local area) and supply to these properties will be disconnected for a short while (it will be back on the same day it goes off), as the property gets connected into the new pipe.
Advance notice will be given, and more information will be provided to these properties.
Anyone who smells gas should always ring the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999 and do not assume it is related to these works.
