Gas main repairs to affect one of Oldham's busiest roads

Engineers are preparing to carry out essential works to repair a corroding gas main underneath one of Oldham's busiest roads which will see one lane closed.

Cadent, which manages the town’s gas network, has identified that a joint on the 16-inch diameter steel main which sits at least 2.5m underneath Chadderton Way is ‘actively corroding’.

After liaising with Oldham council, the gas network has confirmed it will start the essential work to fix it on Monday, July 20.

The repair work is expected to take four weeks.

Phil Berry, head of operate and maintain at Cadent’s north west network said: “While carrying out surveys we’ve recently found that a joint on this steel main is corroding.

“This isn’t causing a problem right now but, in time, gas would escape from it. We need to fix it.

“We’ve worked closely with Oldham council to agree how we’ll do this in way that results in as little disruption as possible.

“We won’t need to interrupt gas supply and we can keep one lane of Chadderton Way open throughout – all being well, both lanes at weekends.”

Cadent gas network van

Teams will dig a large excavation in the slip road leading from Featherstone Road North onto Chadderton Way, so they can expose and work on the pipe.

The company says that the slip road, as well as one lane of Chadderton Way, must be closed to ensure safety of everyone working on the site and motorists.

Traffic will filter from two lanes to one.

However ‘where safe to do so’, and particularly at weekends, the lane closure on Chadderton Way will be lifted, but the Featherstone Road North slip road closure remains in place throughout.

Pedestrian access around the work area will be maintained at all times.

Cadent, which has a depot in Hollinwood, manages the 21,000 miles of gas mains that run under the north west, supplying 2.7m properties.

Main image: 

Chadderton Way in Oldham.