News

Severn Trent is hosting two community drop-in sessions for residents in Newent and Rudford, where they can hear about plans for new water and waste pipes in their area.

The water company is upgrading seven km of pipes along the B4215 in Newent this summer, as part of a £3 million investment to the improve water supply and reduce the number of leaks and bursts in the area.

After listening carefully to feedback from the local community, the majority of new pipes will be laid alongside the B4215 on private land, to minimise disruption as much as possible. Temporary traffic lights will be put in place where working on the road is unavoidable. A small section of the A40 will also be affected by the works.

Work will also begin this summer to replace the sewage pumping station at Tibberton, as well as installing 4.5km of brand new waste pipes between Tibberton and Newent.

This £2 million upgrade of the waste network will mean a phased closure of Kent’s Green Road, as well as temporary traffic lights along Gloucester Road. The remaining sections will be installed on private land to keep any disruption to a minimum.

Gareth Mead from Severn Trent, said: “To ensure residents have a reliable water supply for many years to come, and to reduce the number of leaks and bursts in the area, we need to upgrade a number of water pipes in and around Newent.

“To carry out this vital work, which will see aging pipes being replaced with brand new ones, we will install the majority of them on private land. However, there will be small areas where we will need to put in place temporary traffic lights along the B4215, where there is no other alternative.

“We’ve listened to feedback from the local community, including residents and businesses in the area, to understand how this work will impact everyone. That’s why we revised our initial plans, removing the need to close the road altogether."

Gareth added: “The sewage treatment works at Tibberton has been serving the local community well for many years, but it’s now showing signs of wear and tear. While we’re in the area, we believe it is the right time to upgrade the waste network too.

“We understand the disruption this will cause, which is why we’re hosting drop-in sessions, so we can update residents, show them our plans and answer any questions they may have.

“We don’t have actual start dates for the work yet, as we are still planning with the local highway teams, but it’s our intention to begin during the summer holidays when we know the roads are a little quieter.”

The team from Severn Trent will be at Rudford & Highleadon Village Hall, Buttermilk Lane, Rudford, GL2 8DY on Thursday 27th June, between 3.30pm and 6.45pm.

The team will also be at the Newent Community Centre, Ross Road, Newent GL18 1DB on Monday 1st July, between 3.30pm and 6.45pm.