Sutton and East Surrey Water

Essential work to replace ageing water mains in Central Road, Worcester Park will be carried out this summer.

The work being undertaken by Sutton and East Surrey Water will involve traffic management measures being put in place as work progresses along a 500-metre stretch of Central Road.

“The existing main is reaching the end of its useful lifespan and we need to carry out this replacement work now to reduce the risk of mains failure and assure the security of supply for the long-term future,” explained Kevin Shilling, Projects Manager for Sutton and East Surrey Water.

Some of the four-inch cast iron mains, which will be replaced with 125mm high performance polyethylene mains, date back to 1908. Mains on both north and south sides of Central Road will have to be replaced.

The improvement project is scheduled to begin on July 25 and temporary traffic lights will maintain traffic flow in Central Road. The short-term closure of individual Central Road junctions to through traffic will be necessary as work progresses.  Junctions from Lynwood Drive to Balmoral Road will need to be closed and re-opened as required during the project.

Appropriate prior warning and diversionary rerouting will be undertaken.  Access for local residents and emergency services will be maintained throughout, but parking bays on Central Road will be closed as the works pass.

The junction closures are necessary to assist Central Road traffic flow and ensure the safety of Sutton and East Surrey Water’s workforce. Warnings and safety fencing will be erected around the worksite to protect both shoppers and road users.

Alternative local traffic routing has been agreed with the London Borough of Sutton, and the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London have been consulted. All diversion routes will be signposted. In addition to local publicity and warning notices, residents and businesses in the area are being sent explanatory letters.

Work is set to be carried out Monday to Friday with extended working hours with agreement from the London Borough of Sutton, leaving weekends clear for trading. The Central Road worksite will be tidied and reinstated as quickly as possible to limit its effect on the area.

“We recognise that this is a busy trading area, and we apologise in advance for any inconvenience, but repair work such as this has to take place if water supplies are to be maintained, ” said Kevin Shilling.

The first phase of the work – replacing the old water main – will have the most impact and is beginning during the school summer holidays when traffic levels are reduced. It is anticipated that this phase will be completed before the Christmas trading period.

Once the new main is laid and tested, connections to individual properties form the less disruptive second phase of the project, which is scheduled for completion by March 2012.

For more information contact:
Stuart Hyslop or John Burbedge on 01372 460111

NOTES TO EDITORS
Sutton and East Surrey Water supplies water to more than 650,000 people in east Surrey, and parts of West Sussex, west Kent and south London. Our supply area is 322 square miles (834 sq km) extending from Morden and South Croydon in the north to Gatwick Airport in the south and from Cobham, Leatherhead and Dorking in the west to Edenbridge and Bough Beech in the east. Groundwater supplies provide 85 per cent of our water, with 15 per cent being extracted from one reservoir at Bough Beech.   www.waterplc.com