A major £1 million scheme to improve the gas network in North Biddulph, near Stoke-on-Trent, is due to start next week. The project will see more than 30 roads across the village have their old metal mains replaced with new hard wearing plastic pipe to ensure residents continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply.
Work is due to start on Monday 02 November and is expected to be completed by the end of March 2010. Most of the work will take place in residential areas and is not expected to cause major disruption to traffic.
The new pipe will be installed using a process called insertion where the new pipe is pushed through the old one. This reduces considerably the amount of digging needed which in turn speeds up the work and lessens the disruption caused.
To give local residents the opportunity to find out more, the company will hold an information roadshow when the work starts. The customer liaison vehicle will be parked at the Playing Fields car park in Halls Road between 10am and 4pm from Monday 02 November to Wednesday 04 November and members of the project team will be available to provide information and answer questions.
National Grid project manager Craig Hampson said: ‘These old metal mains have come to the end of their working life and need to be renewed. We will be replacing them with new plastic pipe that, once in the ground, will last for up to 80 years with little or no maintenance.
Unfortunately roadworks are disruptive for residents and motorists but we will do everything we can to keep the traffic flowing and any inconvenience to a minimum.’
The work is being carried out by National Grid in partnership with Enterprise plc. The project is part of National Grid’s 30 year programme to improve the safety and reliability of the gas supply network by replacing all metal gas pipes that lie within 30 metres of property.
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For further media information only, please contact Jane Taylor, National Grid Media Relations, on 07785 220647.