Business bosses and residents were sent letters on September 16 to warn that essential gas pipe replacement work would start in early October and run for up to four weeks, as part of a £5 million project to replace old metal pipes with more durable plastic ones.
There was outrage among traders as the town has been almost brought to a standstill at times by numerous roadworks in the past month, and the gas works would clash with work on the Whitburn Street relief road and the B4555 Highley Road.
Work on the relief road is scheduled to continue until November 24 and work on the B4555 until the end of October or beginning of November.
Town councillor Geoff Bodenham, speaking on behalf of local business owners, said he was “horrified” when he heard about the plans to dig up the High Street during October. He said he had spoken to National Grid and been assured that the work was postponed until the New Year.
Jane Taylor, communications advisor for National Grid, said the work has now been postponed until January 8 and should take two weeks to complete. “We have been in talks with highways officials and are spreading the work out so that there are fewer roadworks going on in the town before Christmas,” she said.
