A seven-month programme to upgrade gas pipes in Sidmouth will begin on Monday, October 31, meaning some road closures and other traffic disruption.  

Wales & West Utilities said barring any engineering difficulties, the £330,000 work will be complete in May next year. The work is essential to keep the gas flowing safely to heat and power local homes and businesses. 

The company has liaised with Devon County Council to plan the work and agreed the necessary traffic controls, which include:  

A road closure on Hillside Road from Monday, October 31 until Friday, December 23 

A road closure on Laskeys Lane from Saturday, November 12 until Friday, December 23 

A road closure from Monday, November 14 until Friday, November 25 on the access road from Cliff Road which leads to Laskeys Road 

Additional traffic management will be in place between January and May 2023, and the company will be in touch with residents and businesses that may be directly affected by the work. 

 Wales & West Utilities Jake Sami is managing the upgrade work. He said: “While most of the gas network is underground and out of sight, it plays a central role in the daily lives of people across Sidmouth. Whether it’s heating your home, making the family dinner or having a hot bath, we understand how important it is for your gas supply to be safe and reliable and there when you need it. 

“We know that working in areas like this is not ideal, but it really is essential to make sure we keep the gas flowing to homes and businesses in the area, and to make sure the gas network is fit for the future. We’ll have a team of gas engineers on site throughout the project to make sure our work is completed as safely and as quickly as possible while keeping disruption to a minimum. 

 “This work is essential to keep the gas flowing to local homes and businesses today, and to make sure the gas network is ready to transport hydrogen and biomethane, so we can all play our part in a green future.” 

 Anyone with questions about the gas upgrade work can call Wales & West’s customer service team on freephone 0800 912 2999, or contact them via Twitter or Facebook.