Road delays as work to replace power lines along A49 near Shrewsbury begins
Drivers are facing delays in a busy road near Shrewsbury as work to replace overhead power lines gets underway.
Contractors working for Western Power Distribution (WPD) moved on to site on the A49 today to upgrade overhead electricity poles and cables in Bayston Hill. The work is expected to be completed by Friday and traffic lights have been put up along the route.
Hundreds of homes and businesses have been contacted regarding the work which may lead to some planned power cuts as it is carried out.
Once complete, homes and businesses will benefit from an upgraded electricity supply fit for meeting their needs for years to come.
The £21,000 upgrade is part of Western Power Distribution's, ongoing commitment to improving supply reliability and customer service levels.
The project will involve the installation of 470 metres of new overhead line and nine new poles, along the A49 Hereford Road at Bayston Hill from the Lyth Hill Road junction, and Cross Roads.
Adrian Pope, WPD’s team manager for the area, said: “In order for engineers to work safely and quicker, there will be temporary manned traffic lights in operation along Hereford Road between 9.30am-4pm during the time of the works. There will also be some planned interruptions to power supplies for properties on Hereford Road and Cross Roads, letters outlining these interruptions have already been sent out to all properties that will be affected.
Liaising
“This work ensures that we can provide a high level of service in the long term by improving the infrastructure and security of our electricity network.
“We’ve been liaising with The Highways Agency for works on the A49 and Shropshire Council to agree the times of our work. We have also written to 380 local homes and businesses affected by the work.’’
“We would like to apologise for any inconvenience that this work may cause."
The project forms part of WPD’s commitment to provide a consistently high level of service to customers. Over £7billion is being invested by the company on its electricity network between 2015 and 2023.
On average, customers receive one power cut every two years that lasts under half an hour. The service costs customers 27p per day on average, through their electricity bills.
