Falmouth is to have essential gas mains work carried out by gas distribution company, Wales & West Utilities (WWU). The work, which has been programmed to coincide with works planned by the local Highways Authority, will be carried out in four phases and will begin on Monday 22nd September from Market Street to Church Street.

This first phase is expected to take around 12 weeks to complete. The £350,000 project - to replace nearly 1,000 metres of old metal gas pipes with new plastic pipe – represents a major investment by Wales & West Utilities and is essential to maintain gas supplies to local people and businesses in the area.

For the safety of the public and the workforce involved in the project, traffic management will be introduced and WWU will be working closely with the local Highways Authority to ensure that inconvenience to local people is kept to an absolute minimum.

Paul Trevaskis, WWU’s Network Officer said: “This is a major project which has been planned to take place at the same time as work scheduled by the local highways authority. “The second phase of the work will begin on 5th January 2009 from Church Street to Arwenack Street with the third phase following on from Arwenack Street, ending at Grove Place. Both these phases are expected to take around 20 weeks to complete.

“The fourth and final phase at High Street to Market Strand will begin in September 2009 and should take around 16 weeks to complete.

“We hope that, with the co-operation of local people, this important gas replacement work will be completed with minimal disruption.

“The work, part of our multi million pound, 30-year replacement programme across Wales and the South West, underlines WWU’s continued efforts to ensure the safety and security of gas supplies to the local community. The new non-corroding plastic pipes will have a lifespan of more than 80 years”.