A590 roadworks to last until mid-October

Cadent, the UK’s biggest gas distribution network, said work to upgrade one of the oldest ageing gas mains in the North West began on Monday. 

The work will take place near to the section of road which crosses the railway lines between Pennington Lane on the outskirts of Ulverston and Park Road in Swarthmoor.

The section of the A590 where works are taking place (Image: Google Maps)

Records indicate the pipe, which distributes gas to heat thousands of homes, was installed in 1930.

Cadent said temporary traffic lights are required near to the section of road in order to keep a safe work area as the pipe runs close to the centre of the road.

It comes as part of an £80 million Cadent programme to upgrade ageing gas mains in the North West of the country.

More than 12km of pipes in the South Lakeland area and more than five kms in Barrow will be upgraded this year.

The timing was agreed with the National Highways and coincides with a window of opportunity where gas demand and supply can be balanced such that gas is available to all throughout, said Cadent.

“This part of the network has served the area well for almost 100 years,” said Mark Syers, head of Cadent’s Investment Planning Office, North West.

However, maintenance and repairs – and inevitable disruption this results in for the local community – has got too frequent, he said.

“We have a responsibility to make sure every property that uses gas has access to a safe and reliable supply, 24/7, 365 days a year," said Mr Syers.

“We are very conscious of the disruption works like this cause and we are aiming to keep traffic flowing as best we can, with access to homes and businesses.

“Unfortunately, due to the location of the existing pipeline, we need to occupy one half of the road. We therefore need to use traffic lights to keep everyone safe.

“We hope people understand the reason for this is purely to ensure everyone’s safety.”