Penrith residents and businesses will from 8am on Wednesday Morning face significant disruption on local roads through the town centre and local roads around the town as Northern Gas Networks embarks on a comprehensive project to upgrade the town's gas infrastructure.
The extensive works will involve replacing ageing metal gas mains pipes with new plastic pipes, a move aimed at enhancing the reliability and safety of the gas supply.
The improvements will come at a cost, as roads in the town centre will face months of closures and diversions.
The road closures will occur in stages, with the initial closures beginning on January 3rd, 2024 lasting through until early March. Westmorland and Furness Council have granted permits to enable the works and the associated road closures and diversions, which will affect various parts of the town centre and other local roads.
The first stage from Wednesday 3rd January will see Brunswick Road, Corney Place and Middlegate closed to traffic. Parking restrictions will also come into force preventing traffic from parking on Portland place that will for part of the traffic diversion route for the next 8 weeks.
The closure permits issued by the council are as follows:
Stage 1: Middlegate – including Corney Square and the Bottom of Brunswick Road: January 3rd, 2024, 8:00 AM, to January 26th, 2024, 11:59 PM.
Stage 2: Middlegate, Devonshire Street: January 22nd, 2024, 8:00 AM, to February 5th, 2024, 11:59 PM.
Stage 3: Market Square, King Street: February 5th, 2024, 8:00 AM, to March 8th, 2024, 11:59 PM.
Traffic will still be able to travel around the town via diversion routes as the stages advance over the next two months, signs will be displayed for motorists and with a full signed diversion put in place.
Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times throughout the works.
Requests had been made by local business groups and organisations calling on Westmorland and Furness Council to extend free parking in the councils Pay and Display carparks around the town to help support local business through what many local businesses are concerned will be two months of difficult trading conditions for local business in the town centre as a result of the road closures.
Local bus services will be impacted with the town bus and the Fell runner Bus that connects many of the local communities around Penrith by providing a bus route into the town along with other services announcing that the works will cause changes to services timetables and routes over the next few weeks.
Dan Hind, Operations Manager for Northern Gas Networks, said: “We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused during these essential works. However, it is vital we complete them in order to continue to maintain a safe and reliable gas supply to the residents of Penrith”.
“We want to assure residents and road users that we will be working hard to complete this essential scheme as safely and as quickly as possible.”
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