From Monday 5 February for three weeks, we'll begin an urgent programme of work to replace the leaking section of gas main located on Churchill Way West on the eastbound direction of A36, and the northbound lane on the A345 Castle Road in Salisbury.
This work is essential - replacing the gas pipe is the only permanent solution to address the leaks causing disruptive emergency repair work at this location.
Due to the location of the gas mains in the road, for everyone’s safety, we need to close the road in the following two phases.
Phase one: Monday 5 to Saturday 17 February
Road closure from the exit of Waitrose/Superstores along the A36 to Castle Roundabout and no northbound access to Castle Road.
This will mean:
- The north side of Castle Roundabout (A36) will be closed
- Castle Road will be closed from the A36 heading northbound
- The West side of Castle Roundabout remains open
- Access to the A345 Castle Road northbound will be closed – follow the signed diversion route
- Bus routes will be affected - please contact your service provider for changes to services, routes and timetables
Phase two: Saturday 17 to Monday 26 February
We'll be working along Castle Road with one lane closure – southbound lanes will be made
two way.
We're sorry for the inconvenience our work may cause.
We are no longer able to repair the gas main and replacement is the only option to provide a permanent solution for future leaks in this location.
The section of gas main being replaced is an old metal pipe with an ongoing history of gas leaks. By replacing the pipes with plastic pipes we'll provide a permanent solution to the leaks on a gas main that is crucial for supplying gas to the wider area of Salisbury.
There are many reasons why we are not able to work at night on infrastructure of this size.
- Safety is our priority - our engineers are working with live gas flowing at a significant pressure.
- Risk mitigation - there are other critical utilities underground which present an increased risk of loss of supplies when working in night-time conditions and poor visibility – specialist response teams are on hand during the day if needed.
There are many reasons why engineers may not be visible on site.
- Planning replacement work can take time and there are important health and safety processes and network analysis required. The excavations need to remain open while this planning is taking place so engineers can monitor gas readings.
- During the installation process, we need to maintain local pressures in the gas network. Engineers need to be off site at governor locations in the area maintaining local pressures - this is essential to maintain local supplies.
- We may not be on site when reinstatement and road resurfacing work is carried out.
- We’ve agreed with the local authority to work during the hours of 8am to 4pm. Engineers may have completed work to a point where the next stage of work will take them into the night and outside permitted hours and cannot continue.
We are required to work in shorter sections to maintain network supply – extra engineers will not speed up our work and will only slow down progress.