The Gas Works have been postponed for a week to allow for better information to be provided to the community and more robust consultation with Traders about deliveries.

Last Friday Cllr Will Sandry met senior managers from Wales and West Utilities in Bristol to discuss the poor communication which had beset this project.

Specifically Will asked why only people with a gas supply had been consulted instead of all the traders and local residents, and sought reassurance that deliveries to and from the shops would be accommodated. He also addressed the issue of the poor communication of parking suspensions with residents in the surrounding streets.

Will said: “I’m pleased that Wales and West have agreed to take time out to consider what they could do better and improve their communication. Moorland Road has many  independent businesses, and lots of residents in the surrounding streets. It’s really important that their needs are catered for during these works.

Now I’ve met with Wales and West I understand the complex job that they are doing on Moorland Road. It’s not just one gas main they are replacing but two large ones on each side of the street. They have to dig some very large holes to push new pipes through the existing ones.

Everyone I’ve spoken with understands that Wales and West need to do the work, but equally everyone says that Wales and West should have communicated better.”

Will also found out other information about the works have have not been communicated to the residents and traders as yet:

• Working hours will be 12 hours per day, six days a week starting at 07:30 / 08:00. In the event that a day’s work has got to a critical point, the contractor may work on for another few hours beyond 8pm.
• The planned rest day is Sunday, but that may be swapped with Saturday for operational reasons during the works.
• Access to the shops for shoppers will be maintained at all times during opening hours and arrangements will be made for those with wheelchairs, pushchairs and mobility scooters.
• Further gas main replacement will be required on Third Avenue, Shaftesbury Road, Beckhampton Road, and the Lower Bristol Road within the next two years.