DRIVERS in Wadebridge are being warned to expect disruption as £500,000 upgrade works prepare to get underway.

Wales & West Utilities has announced that it will soon be starting work to upgrade the gas pipes in the Polmorla Road area of Wadebridge.

The organisation has expressed that the first phase of the work, which starts on September 7, is vital to ensuring gas continues to flow safely and reliably to homes and businesses across the area, ‘helping to keep people warm for decades to come’.

The first phase of the project is set to be complete by the October 2, and further sections of work will follow.

Similar work has also recently been undertaken by Wales & West Utilities in Bude, a project which has nearly lasted a whole year. The works have seen more than £1-million invested, however they have left many residents frustrated thanks to regular disruption which has been seen across the town - something which many Wadebridge residents will be hoping this project will not be a repeat of.

The work in Wadebridge has been planned in conjunction with Cornwall Council, and it has been agreed that Polmorla Road will be closed from 1 Market Place to Omil Court, whilst Fairmead Road will also be closed between the junctions of Polmorla Road and Olde Market Court throughout.

The project is part of Wales & West Utilities work to invest £535k over the next two years to upgrade gas pipes in Wadebridge. The intensive programme of wider mains replacement works will see over 1.7 kilometres of gas pipes upgraded across the area as the company upgrades the critical energy infrastructure in the area to benefit local customers.

Wales & West Utilities Abby Smith is managing this work and has said that while they understand the disruption works such as this can cause, the upgrades are ‘essential to maintain a resilient gas network that households and business can rely on every day’.

She explained: “This work involves investing in our gas network to ensure it remains safe, reliable and fit for the future for the customers we serve. We'll be keeping the local community updated on these works and working with the local authority, and other key partners, to keep disruption to a minimum.

“We understand our work can cause disruption, but it is essential to maintain a resilient gas network that households and business can rely on every day.

“While much of the gas network is out of sight, it plays a vital role in daily life – from heating homes to cooking meals and we know how important it is that gas is there when people need it.

“Once we’ve completed this intensive work, we’ll leave behind an upgraded network that meets today’s energy needs, and is ready to transport greener gases in the future. By completing this work now, barring any emergency repairs, we can avoid returning to the area and causing further disruption to the local community for decades.”