Forum Topic

Gas works suspended

I was flabbergasted to hear that the recent gasworks in Whellock Road  had to be stopped because 1 resident would not allow access to their house. For 3 weeks, Cadent have dug the holes & done the work they can, but have now filled the holes in again because they can’t finish the job. They say they’ll need to come back & open all of the holes back up again when they can get access.Personal rights to refuse entry aside, what a waste of money! At a time when queues at food banks are long because so many people can’t afford to even eat.Why are Ealing (& Hounslow) councils wasting so much of our money on projects that are going to have to be reversed instead of helping local people with food, local tax reliefs & business support?

Nicky McKenna ● 2067d5 Comments

Before people jump into to criticise the resident who refused access (which could be for Covid reasons) it might be worth while asking why access was not checked before work started - as should be done by every utility company before they start.  In most cases they will have a wayleave in place to allow access but if not they are legally obliged to seek consent for access (except I think in emergency repairs)

Justin Stephenson ● 2067d

Nicky, It is a waste of money, but it isn't a waste of Ealing and Hounslow's money. It's a waste of a private companies money. So not sure it's taking food out of peoples mouths.  If a business was denying me access to my house for 3 weeks (do gas works ever finish on time), then they'd better be putting me up in a very swish hotel. As they are all closed, is the resident supposed to sleep in the park? So not sure they are exactly being selfish. 

Rob Reynolds ● 2067d

Rob Reynolds explained:"If a business was denying me access to my house for 3 weeks"Nobody is denying the resident in question access to their home for even two minutes. As was explained to me by the foremen fitter who did our road - the objective is that all metal gas pipes*below ground* are to be replaced by plastic within a certain time frame.Basically metal eventually corrodes which leads to slow leaks; although in clay the clay itself acts as a sealant. Otherwise not.In a domestic situation this means inserting a plastic sleeve inside the existing metal feeder, now branching from the new plastic main in the road until the pipe emerges inside the house.This is usually a simple operation but does requireaccess inside the house so that an interior joint can be unscrewed and the plastic liner identified.(Its impossible to just judge this from the amountof liner inserted for various reasons.) The supplydoes need to be cut off for one or two days and free electric rings and heaters are supplied.Afterwards a gas safe fitter needs to visit to confirm that all appliances are working correctly.But aside from worries about having things stolen,maybe totally unjustified but based on people'sactual experience there's no need for the householderto be present at all. Without having read the story I would imagine its only the joint between the main and the feederinto the refusniniks house - in front of theirhouse which will need to be dug up so that the sleeving can proceed.      michael adams

Michael Adams ● 2067d

My bad. I read the '3 weeks' as being how long access was denied, not how long holes have been being dug for.  However, i'd still expect a swish hotel rather than a camper stove and a dirty old electric radiator. 

Rob Reynolds ● 2067d

(And Nicky did say they would be denied access....)

Rob Reynolds ● 2067d