Delays on way as pipe work begins in village

Severn Trent Water is carrying out a four-month upgrade of a 5km network, in Marchamley, to improve the service.

The first phase to replace ageing pipes and improve supply was underway this week from the Marchamley Lodge junction with Shrewsbury Road to the Wood Lane.

As a result motorists in the area were due to face temporary traffic lights and a 40mph speed restriction for approximately 15 weeks.

When this is completed the company's engineers will move on to the second phase between the junction of Drayton Road and Shrewsbury Street, in Hodnet, near The Bear at Hodnet inn.

While the final phase will see the closure of Lodge junction to Hill Cottage and Marchamley Hill junction for four weeks.

Road signs and barriers will also be in place along School Lane for the duration of this part of the scheme which is expected to take three weeks.

Temporary traffic lights will be in place for approximately three weeks.

Severn Trent community communications officer Gareth Mead said: “To ensure residents in Marchamley have a reliable water supply for many years to come and to reduce the number bursts and leaks in the area, we need to upgrade 5km of water pipes across the village.

“To carry out this vital work, which will see old metal pipes being replaced with new plastic pipes, we will need to put in place temporary traffic lights and road closures to do this work, in order to keep our teams, pedestrians and road users safe."

Last month the company held a community drop-in session, in Marchamley, for residents and business owners to discuss the scheme with staff.

The work is expected to be completed in September.

Severn Trent also said it understood the effects of the disruption on the community, but that it is key to helping to avoid bursting pipes.

It added that the project was part of its commitment to invest in infrastructure which will see the equivalent of £1,400 invested for every home and business it serves between 2015 and 2020.

Earlier this year homes, businesses and a primary school were affected when a water main burst in Ellesmere Road, Whittington near Oswestry.

It has also been revealed that the company was using taxi drivers to investigate water leaks in its pipe network in a bid to save money.

The company, which provides water to 4.3 million homes across the West Midlands, admitted it sent out drivers to around 50 different leaks rather than technicians as a cheaper way to get live video footage.