National Grid is investing over £176,000 in the Bushey Heath and Harrow Weald area as it carries out an essential upgrade to ensure safe and reliable gas supplies for the 21st Century.
Engineers from the North London Gas Alliance, a partnership between National Grid and Skanska, will be decommissioning 1.9km of old iron gas mains and replacing a further 500 metres in the area.
The work is due to start on 23 February with a new connection between existing gas mains in Common Road and Hive Road.
Work will begin in Common Road at the junction of Hive Road and then in Brookshill near the junction of Harrow Weald Park. The work in Common Road is expected to take six to eight weeks, with the work in Brookshill taking place concurrently during the final two weeks. The redundant gas mains, which do not supply individual properties, will be emptied of gas and then sealed.
Phase two of the work will see replacement plastic mains installed in Brookshill for 500 metres south of the Old Redding junction. This work is expected to take five weeks.
A traffic island in Common Road will be temporarily removed during the work so that two-way traffic can be maintained. Hive Road will be closed at the junction of Common Road at certain times for up to six weeks so mains connections can be made safely. The lane restriction in Hive Road adjacent to Greenacres will be removed temporarily to allow access for residents and visitors, and traffic for Hive Road will be diverted via High Road and Hartsbourne Avenue.
Advanced warning and information signs will be installed at all major approaches to the works to reduce disruption. Parking may be restricted for short periods.
This essential work will improve local gas supplies and forms part of National Grid’s mains replacement programme, agreed with the Health and Safety Executive, to replace all metallic mains within 30 metres of buildings.
To minimise disruption to local residents, pedestrians and traffic, the project has been planned in close consultation with the local authority, highways department, traffic police and public transport providers. Modern insertion techniques will be used to install the new pipe during the replacement phase. This involves pushing the new plastic pipe through the old metal pipeline and will mean only a small number of holes are visible.
Gas supplies should not be interrupted during the work, but when the new main is connected it may be necessary for our engineers to visit properties to turn gas supplies off and back on again safely. We will notify local residents and businesses in advance if they are affected.
Construction Operations Engineer, Michael Morris of the North London Gas Alliance said: “We are committed to carrying out our work as safely and efficiently as possible. The work has been planned carefully with local stakeholders and we have sought to keep disruption to an absolute minimum. We apologise for any inconvenience the works may cause but the end result will be a safer, more secure and more reliable gas supply for local people. If left undisturbed the new pipes should last for a minimum of 80 years.”
If you require further information or advice, either prior to, or during the works, please call our helpline number 0800 096 5678.
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For further media information contact, Antony Quarrell National Grid Communications on
07810 853075