MOTORISTS in Hailsham can expect South Road to be fully reopened by Monday morning (6 October), according to a new update from SGN.
It says the emergency works to the gas line are complete and they are now in the process of making the road good, which can only be done overnight.
Simon Collins, spokesperson for gas distribution company SGN, said: “We have completed emergency repairs to a gas leak beneath South Road in Hailsham. Our engineers worked around the clock to stop the leak and make a full repair, despite the added complexity of high-voltage electrical cables near the gas main.
“To carry out the work safely, we installed three-way temporary traffic lights at the junction with Ersham Road. These remain in place while we reinstate the road and allow the new surface time to set.
“Due to the narrow width of the road and the size of our reinstatement vehicles, this final phase can only be done overnight when traffic is lighter. This means during the day only workers manning the traffic lights are present.
“Barring any unforeseen circumstances, we expect to remove our lights and fully reopen the road by Monday morning.
“We are sorry for any inconvenience our work has caused and we do appreciate the support of the local community while we made this essential repair.”
The news will be a relief to local businesses, who say they have suffered after the road was dug up for the fifth time in just two years.
When questioned as to why the pipe cannot be replaced due to the numerous leaks, instead of repeated fixing, Mr Collins said: “All gas pipes are assessed using a UK-wide safety model and work is prioritised on that basis, aligned with the HSE’s mandatory 30 year mains replacement programme.”
