Instead of replacing the existing gas main, which runs down the center of the Hempstead Road, the company will be installing a new pipe under a grass verge running alongside the road. This is expected to cut the time spent working on the Hempstead Road using temporary traffic lights from five weeks to three weeks.
The existing 12-inch diameter, cast iron mains will be replaced with modern, durable plastic pipes that have a lifespan of at least 80 years if left undisturbed in the ground and reportedly require little or no maintenance.
Brian Canfield, construction engineer at National Grid, said: We were very conscious of the impact of these essential works on motorists and residents so we have been looking at installing a new pipe in the verge and then decommissioning the existing main.
