Wales & West Utilities is set to start work to upgrade the gas pipes in Shepton Mallet which will make sure that the gas keeps flowing to heat local homes and power local businesses for years to come.
Starting on Monday 7 January 2019, the work is essential to keep local people safe and warm for generations to come and it is anticipated to be complete by the end of March.
The work will involve upgrading over 400 metres of old metal pipes to new plastic ones and Wales & West Utilities has worked closely with Somerset County Council to plan the work. In order to keep our workforce and the public safe whilst this essential work is ongoing, it has been agreed that it will be carried out in two phases, which both require traffic management.
Phase One, which starts during the week of the 7 January, involves working along Great Ostry from the junction with High Street to outside 8 Great Ostry. A road closure will be in place for approximately four weeks whilst these works take place and a diversion route will be clearly signposted. During this time, temporary traffic lights will be in place to allow two-way access onto High Street.
Phase Two will start the week commencing 4 February. A full road closure will be in place at the junction of The Batch, Rectory Road and Waterloo Road, with a diversion route clearly signposted. Barring any unforeseen engineering difficulties, this phase will take five weeks to complete.
In conjunction with these road closures, work will also be carried out along the pedestrianized zone of Town Street. This work will take place between 7 January and 29 March.
Wales & West Utilities Programme Controller for the area, Barry Sale, 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 homes and 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 we’ll work as safely and as quickly as possible to ensure the scheme is completed in a timely fashion while causing the least inconvenience.”
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 replaced with 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.