Wales & West Utilities is set to start a £1 million gas pipe investment scheme in the Chepstow area which will make sure that local homes and businesses continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply for years to come.
Starting on 19 January, the work will involve upgrading 8.5 km of old metal pipes to new plastic ones on the A48 Hardwick Hill and adjacent roads. It will also involve upgrading individual supply pipes to more than 700 homes and is anticipated to take 18 months to complete.
This week a public information session was held where members of the local community were invited to hear of the plans first-hand. Ahead of the scheme Wales & West Utilities has worked closely with Monmouthshire County Council to plan work and it has been agreed that the scheme will be split into phases and traffic management will be in place to keep disruption to the local community and road users to a minimum.
The first phase will involve:
- A road closure of Hardwick Hill Lane at the junction of Mount Pleasant. This will be in place from 22 January – 11 February
- A road closure of Bulwark Road at the junction of Mount Pleasant through to Old Bulwark Road. This will be in place from 11 February – 25 February
- Two way traffic lights on the junction of Hardwick Hill and Mount Pleasant. These will be in place during half term week (17 – 25 February)
Wales & West Utilities Programme Controller Adam Smith is managing the work and said:
“We know that working in areas like this is not ideal, but it really is essential to make sure we keep the gas flowing to heat homes and power businesses in the area and to make sure the gas network is fit for the future. We’ll have a team of gas engineers on site throughout the project to make sure our work is completed as safely and as quickly as possible while keeping disruption to a minimum.
“We’re very aware of the effect that our work can have on communities and commuters and want to ensure everyone that we are working closely with Monmouthshire County Council to get this essential work done as quickly as possible, while causing the least inconvenience to local people.”
Our Customer Service Team is ready to take your call if you have any questions about our work. You can contact them on freephone 0800 912 2999 or enquiries@wwwutilities.co.uk.
Alternatively, you can contact us on Twitter @WWUtilities or Facebook.com/WWUtilities.
Wales & West Utilities, the gas emergency and pipeline service that serves the south west of England and Wales, puts customers at the heart of the business and is rated the top utility company in the UK for customer service. If anyone smells gas, thinks they have a gas leak, or suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, they should call us on 0800 111 999 and our engineers will be there to help, day or night.
The company also has a multi-million pound, 30-year gas pipe investment programme which began in 2002. Old metal pipes within 30 metres of buildings are being upgraded to new long-lasting plastic pipes with a lifespan of more than 80 years, to make sure homes and businesses continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply now and in the future.