National Grid is planning to replace over a kilometre of gas mains in Bolton during the next six weeks as part of a multi-million pound package of improvements to the gas supply system in the North West.
The company, the UK's biggest utility, will be replacing metallic mains with modern plastic ones which have a lifespan of at least 80 years, if left undisturbed once they are in the ground.
Work will be carried out on two main roads into Bolton town centre - Tonge Moor Road and Plodder Lane. The work in Tonge Moor Road is part of a bigger programme of works which will see £850,000 of investment and a total of 2.5km of mains replaced in this area of the town.
Work in Plodder Lane starts on Saturday 21 July and will take approximately six weeks to complete. The work in Tonge Moor Road starts the following day and will also take around six weeks to complete. Both projects have been timed to take advantage of lower peak traffic flows during the school summer holidays.
Where possible, the new plastic pipe will be inserted inside the existing metal main to reduce the need for open excavation.
During work on Plodder Lane, a one way system will be in operation. During the first phase of the work, traffic heading from Farnworth will be diverted via Bradford Road and Daisy Road. During the second phase of the work, traffic will be diverted via Bradford Road and back onto Plodder Lane.
Tonge Moor Road will be closed to town centre bound traffic from Union Street to Turner Street. A diversion will take traffic along Crompton Way and then west along Bury Road.
The mains renewal work in Bolton is part of a national programme of work developed in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). In all, 15,000km of mains will be replaced across Britain over the next eight years at a cost of around £1.6bn.
During 2007/8, National Grid will spend £85m replacing 567km of gas mains across the North West - a replacement rate of over 2km each working day.
Neil Johnson, Alliance Manager said: "In the North West, National Grid owns and operates 36,000km of gas mains which deliver gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses. These mains tend to be concentrated in the areas of greatest population because that is where there is the greatest demand for gas.
"Work by our engineers will cause some disruption to residents and road users in Bolton but the safety and security of the gas supply system has to remain our top priority."
Neil added: “We understand that people get frustrated by work carried out by utility companies but the gas, water and electricity supplies we rely on arrive at our homes through a complicated network of pipes and cables which have to be maintained.
“We would urge people to have patience with us whilst we carry out these essential works – there will be short term disruption, but it will produce a long term safe and reliable gas supply.”
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For more media information only, please contact Jeanette Jackson, National Grid Communications on 07785 290230.