Work to upgrade one of the oldest sections of gas pipeline in North West England has started in Cumbria.
Engineers are on the A590 in Swarthmoor, near Ulverston, to replace the ageing pipes.
Records indicate pipes were installed in 1930 to carry gas to thousands of homes.
Cadent, which manages the local gas distribution network, said while it was still safe, the pipes needed to be replaced to ensure an ongoing, uninterrupted supply – and to bring an end to repairs and maintenance that leads to disruption on the roads.
Cadent replaced some sections a few years ago, under temporary traffic arrangements that involved keeping the road open, with narrower lanes.
There are a few sections still to complete which run closer to the centre of the road. Temporary traffic lights will be installed.
Work takes place near to the section of road which crosses the railway lines, between Pennington Lane on the outskirts of Ulverston and Park Road in Swarthmoor.
The work is scheduled to be completed around the middle of next month.
It is part of an £80m package of work announced by Cadent in April, as part of a 30-year programme to upgrade older pipes and have the network ready for greener gases.
More than 12km of pipes in the South Lakeland area and more than 5km in Barrow will be upgraded this year among 420km across the whole of the North West.
“This part of the network has served the area well for almost 100 years,” said Mark Syers, head of Cadent’s Investment Planning Office, North West.
“However, maintenance and repairs – and inevitable disruption this results in for the local community – has got too frequent. It’s time to call an end to that by replacing these old pipes.
“We have a responsibility to make sure every property that uses gas has access to a safe and reliable supply, 24/7, 365 days a year.
“We are very conscious of the disruption works like this cause and we are aiming to keep traffic flowing as best we can, with access to homes and businesses.
“Unfortunately, due to the location of the existing pipeline, we need to occupy one half of the road. We therefore need to use traffic lights to keep everyone safe.
“We hope people understand the reason for this is purely to ensure everyone’s safety.”
Gas will stay on for the duration of work. The only interruption to supply will be to properties that take a direct feed from the pipes being replaced in the immediate local area. 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 the properties affected.
