Update - Friday 14 November
Our urgent work to replace more than 1.7km of old metal mains along A229 Loose Road is progressing well. We're still on track to complete this work and safely reopen the road by Monday 24 November.
- A229 Loose Road remains closed to motorists.
- A signed diversion route remains in place for affected road users.
- We're aware HGVs and other drivers have been using narrow lanes instead of following the signed diversion route. To combat this, we've installed additional signage, deployed on site marshals at strategic locations, and worked with a satellite navigation company, instructing HGVs to follow the correct diversion route and avoid access to unsuitable roads.
We're pleased to confirm that emergency repairs to our gas network nearby at the junction of the A229 and B2163 have been completed. The required repairs to the affected pipe have been made, the road surface restored and our temporary traffic lights were removed yesterday (Thursday 13).
We recognise roadworks can be frustrating for residents, businesses and road users. However, these works are essential to ensuring a safe and reliable supply of gas is delivered to nearby properties.
Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.
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We're preparing to carry out urgent gas network upgrades along A229 Loose Road from Monday 20 October to ensure a safe and reliable supply of gas is delivered to nearby homes and businesses.
This work follows a series of gas leaks reported recently along Loose Road between the fire station and A274 Sutton Road. Our investigations found a significant section of this gas main is in poor condition and we need to urgently replace it with new pipe.
Our engineers will be replacing approximately 1800m of our old gas mains, which were laid approximately 100 years ago.
To ensure everyone's safety while we complete this work, A229 Loose Road will be closed to motorists between these locations. A signed diversion route via the A262 and A274 will be in place for affected road users. We're working with Kent County Council to arrange for additional signage and traffic management operatives to limit access to roads unsuitable for HGVs.
A map indicating our closure area and diversion route can be seen below.
Bus services will be affected by this work. We recommend bus users check with their service provider for any updates to routes and stop locations.
Our engineers will be working extended hours from Monday to Saturday to complete this work as soon as we can. Sundays will be used to allow road surface materials to set before progressing to the next section of work. All being well, this work is expected to last approximately five weeks.
We recognise roadworks can be frustrating, but this work is essential to maintaining a safe and reliable gas supply in the area. We'd like to thank the community in advance for your understanding.
Unless escaping gas is causing an immediate threat to life or property, we don't allow our engineers to work through the night due to complex and hazardous nature of working on live gas mains.
We made temporary repairs to the affected pipes in Loose Road and now we're replacing the gas main to remove the need for future disruptive emergency work.
Saturday afternoons and Sundays are being used to reinstate areas of the road surface we've disturbed and allowing new materials to set.
However, our teams are working round the clock on Linton Hill to investigate and carry out repairs.
There may be times during a shift change, while gas readings are being checked, or when essential risk assessments are being completed, that the team aren’t visible on site or out of their vehicles – but please rest assured we're doing everything we can to finish the work in each location as quickly and safely as possible.
Suspending the work on Loose Road is not feasible. There are several open excavations which would take days to reinstate and there are still sections of leaking pipework being monitored prior to the installation of new pipe. The road closure is in place for everyone's safety as there's not enough room for vehicles to pass the excavations.
No, compensation is not payable for general inconvenience or for extra fuel costs caused by road closures. Small businesses only, may be eligible for compensation for loss of gross profit if they are affected by our planned work lasting for 28 days or more. Although Loose Road began as emergency work, the work ongoing to replace the gas main although urgent may be classed as planned work. Further information on eligibility and how to make a claim can be found here.
We aren’t officially diverting traffic along Heath Road. The signed diversion route, agreed with Kent County Council (KCC), as suitable for all vehicles is via A274 Sutton Road, A274 Maidstone Road through Headcorn, then along A274 Biddenden Road into Biddenden, then along A262 Sissinghurst Road to then rejoin the A229 at the Wisley Pound Roundabout.
We’re aware drivers are choosing to use shorter routes, and we have been working with KCC and a specialist traffic management company to use Sat-Nav influencing software to try to keep as many vehicles away from the narrow back lanes as we can.
We have been in close contact with the emergency services, including Kent Fire and SE Coast Ambulances who have stations on Loose Road, since the beginning of our work.
They have contingency plans in place, and we will continue to work with them to assist where we can while the road is closed.
We replaced approximately 1000m of pipework along Loose Road, near to its junction with Cripple Street, between mid-May and early June as a result of multiple gas leaks being identified. Our engineers left this site with no outstanding gas escapes on this road.
However, from mid-October we started to receive more reports of gas escapes further along Loose Road, between the fire station and Sutton Road. Investigations found multiple leak points, and it was decided that urgent replacement of the four old gas mains running either side of the road with new plastic pipe would be the most effective way of removing the need for future disruptive repairs.
This work began on Monday 20 October, and we are on track to finish replacing another 1700m of old pipework by Monday 24 November.