Miles of pipes to be replaced in major upgrade to gas supplies

Cadent, formerly the National Grid, is investing £77.5m to upgrade 500km of ageing metal gas pipes in the North West region this year in 2017/18.

That includes 82.8km of pipes in Blackpool –more than anywhere else in the region.

The company is replacing iron mains with tough hard-wearing plastic that will last at least 80 years and require little or no maintenance, it said.

In Fylde, a further 1.2km of pipes are set to be replaced, while just 0.05km of the work is slated to take place in Wyre.

Steve Murray, who heads up Cadent’s gas mains replacement programme in the North West, said: “Our job is to keep the energy flowing to homes and businesses across the region.

“This is a major investment. It will ensure that local people continue to enjoy safe and reliable gas supplies to heat their homes, cook their meals and power their businesses for decades to come.”

The work is part of a nationwide programme to upgrade gas mains, developed in conjunction with gas industry regulator Ofgem and the Health and Safety Executive.

Teams from Cadent and its contractors work closely with local authorities to schedule work to times that minimise inconvenience, the firm added.

Customer teams ensure letters are sent to every property affected by each project before work starts. Near the start, they also knock door-to-door, to explain the work and learn if people have specific issues to accommodate.

Anyone with queries about the work in their area can call the North West customer team on 0161 703 1000.