This post gives as much information as we have been able to find out about the planned works in St Catherines Hill and Higher Backway.
The works
The works will be carried out by Wales and West Utilities (Bruton’s gas network supplier) and involve the laying of a new gas mains in a trench. The intention is that they start on 10 July 2023, and may take up to ten weeks. WWU say that they will do their best to minimise disruption, but these are narrow streets, and closure (including overnight closure) and disruption will be inevitable.
The works will be phased, to minimise the disruption. The duration of each phase will depend partly on how problematic or not the work proves to be, so WWU cannot give an exact timetable. However they are able to give details of the order:
- Phase 1: St Catherines Hill from its junction with Bruton High Street to the junction of the lower section of Higher Backway.
- Phase 2: the lower section of Higher Backway from its junction with St Catherines Hill as far as the telephone exchange, then up the ‘cut-through’ past the telephone exchange to the junction with the upper section of Higher Backway.
- Phase 3: the upper section of Higher Backway from its junction with the cut-through by the telephone exchange east to the junction with Coombe Street.
These details are shown on this linked map.
A further update has recently been received, from a brochure delivered to some Bruton properties.
The reason for the works
According to the notification email sent to Bruton Town Council “Due to the increased number of new homes being built in and around Bruton, this has also increased the amount of gas users, and this could potentially cause a strain to our existing gas mains network. To mitigate this risk, WWU are proposing to lay a new, larger diameter main to increase the networks capacity in the area to support these additional homes.”
Further information
The road closures have been agreed by Somerset County Highways. You can view the Traffic Regulation Order Notice here.
