Emergency gas works close Stockport town centre junction

The junction of Corporation Street and Warren Street in Stockport town centre is to close as Cadent investigate and repair a suspected leak in the gas pipeline running under the road.

Emergency work began the morning of Monday November 11th to repair the gas pipeline following reports of a smell of gas over the weekend. Engineers believe the most likely source is a key distribution pipe, which runs directly under the Corporation Street/Warren Street junction, close to the town centre Asda store, and requires the road be closed to allow engineers to make the repair.

While work takes place, Corporation Street will be closed at this junction, to/from the entrance to the covered car park, at Asda. A diversion route will be signposted and motorists are advised to allow extra time for any journeys. Access to the supermarket car park will be maintained.

Trevor Lubbock, Customer Operations Area Manager for Cadent in this area, said:

“We looked at a number of ways to get access to this pipe without disrupting traffic – including using a robotic vehicle that we could insert into the pipe from the footpath.

“However, unfortunately the location just isn’t suitable for that, so we are left with no option other than to excavate in the road. This needs us to close it to traffic.

“We know this is not ideal, but I hope people understand that this is safety-critical work. We need to repair this to keep everyone safe and ensure uninterrupted gas supply. Once we dig down to the pipe – which is about two-metres below ground – we will have a clearer understanding of the repair and how long it will take.”

Cadent will work on the pipe ‘live’ – which means gas stays on, and there should be no interruption to the supply of gas to homes and businesses in Stockport.