Frustration growing over North Baddesley gas work delays

SGN has been working on Rownhams Lane, North Baddesley, since last November.

After a series of delays, the gas company has now confirmed that the one-way system will be lifted on Friday, May 30 and the works are due to finish by July 24.

Cllr Nick Adams-King, Hampshire County Council's new leader, posted a summary of the events on his Facebook page. It said: “Back in Nov 2023 SGN declared emergency works to repair a gas leak. After several weeks we became concerned that the ‘emergency’ was going on for a long time. They should have fixed the leak and then gone away to plan more major works if there was general maintenance needed. But we gave them the benefit of the doubt and allowed them to continue under a planned works permit rather than an emergency works permit.

“The site has been extended a number of times and we’ve noted the lack of progress and the lack of resourcing.

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“Frankly we’re fed up with them but we’re hampered as they are pulling the ‘gas leak’ card.

“Accordingly we’ve had to grant the permit, but, as we’ve not extended their end date they’ll be facing a significant daily overrun charge.”

Cllr Adams-King told the Advertiser: "Thanks to tenacious work tracking down SGN by Caroline Nokes aided by some local residents, SGN have now met residents’ representatives and confirmed a plan going forward. The one way system is due to be lifted this Friday, with temporary lights being in operation while the works are completed, which is due to be by July 24.

“It’s fair to say that the entire experience has been extremely frustrating, for local representatives, HCC’s highway officers and most of all the affected local residents, either living alongside the work, on the diversion routes or forced to change their journey plans as a result of SGN’s roadworks. I am pressing HCC highways to pursue SGN for fines for failure to act within their permit. SGN could, and should, have done better.”

Cllr Alan Dowden, who represents the Baddesley division on the county council, said: “Residents are furious in North Baddesley by the hold ups caused by the traffic chaos over months on Rownhams Lane and other roads in North Baddesley. I argued that although licences are issued for work to take place, better supervision needs to take place.”

Bradley Barlow, spokesman for SGN, said: "We're sorry for the delays in completing phase one of these works and assure you of our commitment to completing the rest of this project without any further delays.

"We will have completed the gas main replacement on Rownhams Lane from Botley Road to the junction of Dunnings Lane. The temporary one-way directional lane closure will be lifted by the end of Friday May 31.

"Following feedback received, the team has replanned phase two to reduce the size of our work area so traffic lights can be used instead of a one-way directional lane closure.

"We appreciate how disruptive this closure and diversion route has been for the community, in particular, the impact to buses and services as a result.

"We’ll be working on Rownhams Lane from the junction of Firgrove Road to the junction of Dunnings Lane. For everyone’s safety, temporary traffic lights will be used around our work areas.

"To make sure we can complete our project and be off the road by Wednesday, July 24, we have extended working patterns to include weekend working (where fatigue rules allow). We have also committed to a minimum of two teams working on-site until our work is completed.  

"Once again, we're sorry for the inconvenience this work has caused and thank you for your continued patience and understanding."