Anger at '˜mess' from pipe work

Cadent, formerly National Grid, has pledged to make amends after people living on Mereside said grassed areas and footpaths had been damaged and not restored.

The company is currently working on the estate to replace gas mains and started work in the spring.

Coun Adrian Hutton, who represents Clifton ward which includes Mereside, said people were upset about the state Cadent was leaving the area in.

He said: “I have had a number of complaints from residents about the way they are working and the state they are leaving streets in.

“We have had meetings with their managers and been assured things will improve.

“But it still appears the people doing this work do not care about the estate.

“There has been boarding left all over the grass, vehicles parking on footpaths and grass verges and general disrespect for the environment.

“Once work has been done to lay a pipe, they are just not restoring the area.

“They have said they will come back and restore it, but they should not be leaving it in the first place.”

One resident, who asked not to be named, said: “We understand the work needs to be done, but some areas have been left looking a terrible mess which isn’t right.”

Cadent said it was taking action to redress the situation.

A spokesman for the company said: “This is simply not good enough and we are sorry.

“It falls short of the standards we expect.

“We’ve taken steps to ensure it stops and have met with Coun Hutton to explain this.”