Residents on Sowerby Bridge road face more disruption as its closed again
Residents on a road is Sowerby Bridge face more disruption after it was closed for a third time in as many years.
Bairstow Lane is shut while repair work is carried out by Northern Gas Networks, meaning more inconvenience for people living there.
It was closed for 18 months from August 2023 due to subsidence and was also briefly closed last year due to work by Yorkshire Water.
Residents have contacted the Halifax Courier to say they were not told about the closure, and had to look online to find out what was happening.
Northern Gas Networks say they are carrying out essential work to replace the ageing metal pipework with new, more durable plastic pipes, and that the work will ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the Sowerby Bridge area.
They say the project, which has been planned in collaboration with Calderdale Council, is expected to last until around mid December and that the road closure on Bairstow Lane at the junction of Burnley Road will be in place until Friday, September 18.
From around the start of November, Gratix Lane will be fully closed for around two weeks.
The final phase of the work will be a second road closure of Bairstow Lane, at the junction of Dam Head Road and Willow Hall Lane. This will be in place from around the start of November until the end of the project.
Carl Hardman, Site Manager at Northern Gas Networks, said: “This is a major upgrade to the area’s infrastructure, with around £300,000 invested replacing 2km of ageing metallic pipes with new, more durable plastic alternatives - keeping residents safe, warm and connected.
"We fully understand that road closures can be disruptive and we’re sorry for the inconvenience this may cause. We explored a number of options to minimise the impact, however due to the location of the gas main and the space required to carry out the work safely and efficiently, a full road closure is the only viable option for this phase of the project.”
On residents not being fully informed of the work in advance, Carl said: “Ahead of the work, we took a number of steps to keep local residents informed, including speaking directly with customers in the area and delivering information about the project and traffic management arrangements. However, we appreciate that some customers may not have been aware of the work and we apologise for any frustration this has caused.
"We will continue to keep residents updated as the work progresses, and would like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for their patience and understanding while we complete this essential upgrade."
Calderdale Council have been contacted for comment.
For further information about the work, contact NGN’s Customer Care Team on 0800 040 7766 or email [email protected].