22 January 2010
Ongoing improvements to Middlewich's sewer network will soon be entering its latest phase.
Engineers working on behalf of Cheshire-based water company United Utilities started the multi-million pound 18-month project in September last year and are now ready to progress further with essential improvements to help prevent sewer flooding in the area.
Richard Townsend, United Utilities' Project Manager, said: "More than 40 properties in the Booth Lane and Cross Lane area of Middlewich have been prone to flooding due to the rise in new building developments in the area, which brings with it a growth in population.
"The existing sewer network, which dates back to the Victorian era and is therefore not designed to cope with 21st century demands, has become overwhelmed.
"During heavy rainfall the system cannot cope and therefore sewage from the system escapes from the network and floods into properties, which of course we do not want to see happening.
"This is a very unpleasant and distressing experience for the people it affects, which is why this work - although temporarily inconvenient for motorists - is essential in resolving this problem.
"Our work has been slightly delayed due to the recent severe weather conditions, but weather permitting we're all set and ready to resume work on Monday, February 1."
During this phase of work Booth Lane (A533) will need to be closed from its junction with Cledford Lane and Cross Lane to its junction with Long Lane South for approximately five months so engineers can work safely in the highway.
During the road closure a signed diversion route will be in place
Access for pedestrians and local traffic will be maintained.
"We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience this work may cause," said Richard.
"We appreciate that five months is a long time to have the road closed, but we also feel that people will understand that we are investing more than £10 million into a highly complex engineering scheme which requires this amount of time for our engineers to carry out the work safely and efficiently.
"During this period we will be installing two new sewers side by side along the highway.
"This work requires extensive excavations - 2m wide and up to 5m deep - and as such we need to implement the road closure to not only keep our engineers safe but also the general public as well.
"We will have two teams working on the road to minimise the overall duration of this road closure.
"Throughout the closure we will endeavour to maintain access for residents.
"We are working closely with Cheshire East Council's highways department to keep disruption to a minimum.
"This includes suspending our works for the duration of the annual Boat Festival (June 18 - June 20)."
The first phase of the project - which has seen the construction of a massive underground storage tank - is nearing completion and tunnelling work to lay approximately 1km of sewers 10m underground across fields from Warmingham Lane towards the River Whelock is due to start before the end of March this year.
The whole project is on course to be completed in the spring of next year.
Richard and the team will continue to keep residents updated of their progress with nearly 20,000 leaflets being distributed in the next few days throughout the Middlewich, Sandbach, Congleton and surrounding areas.
Up-to-date information can be accessed by logging on to the United Utilities website at unitedutilities.com/middlewich
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