The final phase of a major project to replace a kilometre section of gas pipeline in a Lake District town will begin next month.
Cadent is replacing a metallic pipe, which has been in place since 1953, under the A592 Rayrigg Road in Windermere.
The firm, which manages the gas network, installed a bypass before beginning work in October and has apologised for the congestion it caused at the time.
It said: “We soon realised that work would have to take place further into the carriageway than had been anticipated.”
The teams are now preparing to start the final phase of the project on January 2 and plan to complete by the end of the month.
This phase requires the closure of the northbound lane of the A592 Rayrigg Road, starting from just after the Windermere Lake Viewpoint car park, to the roundabout at the junction with Ambleside Road. Traffic will be diverted through Windermere.
The lane heading south – towards Bowness – stays open to vehicles.
Records indicate that some sections of this pipeline were installed in 1953 and it is now showing signs of its age – with repairs and maintenance, and associated traffic disruption, increasing in frequency in recent years.
Mark Syers, head of investment planning office (North West), Cadent, said: “Our job is to keep gas flowing to heat homes, schools, offices and many other buildings in the local area, as well as future-proof the network ready for greener gases.
“This part of the network has operated for 70 years. We’ve become too frequent a visitor in recent years, with our teams carrying out essential repairs.
“This upgrade will bring an end to that, ensuring everyone gets a safe, reliable supply well into the future.
“We appreciate this means another period of disruption, and our teams will work as quickly as they safely can to complete the work.”
