Delayed gas main works not starting 'anytime soon'

Work to replace 120-year-old metallic gas pipes was due to start on Woodbridge Road in Ipswich back in April

Gas main works which were due to start in the summer and close off a town centre route for six months may now not get under way for another year, it has emerged.

Cadent, the gas distribution company, was due to replace 1.8 miles (3km) of pipes in Woodbridge Road, Ipswich, in April, with a view to being finished by October.

The project had already been slightly pushed back after a gas leak was found on a pipe on the road which needed to be fixed before work could start.

The firm has now confirmed to the BBC that the repairs have, once again, been delayed and work will not get underway "anytime soon".

"Works were due to start this summer but were delayed as we had other works going on in the area," a Cadent spokesperson said.

"The contractor says they do not have a time scale and that [work starting] is more likely to between six and 12 months away, so not any time soon.

"But it is nothing to worry about and we will keep everyone up to date."

The road is a busy route linking Ipswich with east Suffolk

The work will see the current ageing metallic gas pipes, which date back to 1907, replaced with tough plastic alternatives, designed to last for decades.

It will be completed in stages with the use of traffic lights and road closures to side roads to ensure traffic is able to flow - something drivers were unhappy about.

Speaking in April, project manager Gary Tidman said he understood the frustration of motorists but stressed the works were "essential".

"We have a responsibility to make sure every property that uses gas has access to it 24/7, 365 days a year and these essential works will mean that we continue to deliver on that promise," he explained.

"We know it's far from ideal to have any sort of road closures or traffic management in place in what is a busy area, but we have worked hard with the local authorities to create a plan that keeps traffic flowing and maintains access for local businesses and residents."