£7.9m project to replace Biggleswade water pipes restarts after 'health and safety' issues as road closure ignored
A £7.9m investment programme to install new water pipes along a Biggleswade road was paused because of “some health and safety issues”, but has since resumed, a meeting heard.
Anglian Water is replacing water pipes along Hitchin Street “to reduce bursts and keep water flowing reliably for decades to come”, according to the company.
The programme also includes upgrades to the local water recycling centre, helping to improve the quality of water returned to the River Ivel, it said.
Sections of Hitchin Street need to close at different stages throughout the project to perform this work safely, Anglian Water said.
It explained: “The water pipes along Hitchin Street have reached the end of their useful life. This has led to 29 bursts since 2005, which Anglian Water acknowledges has meant low pressure or a loss of supply for some customers.
“Installing new pipes reduces the chances of future bursts, while keeping water supplies to customers flowing as they should.”
Biggleswade town clerk Nicci Sewell updated a council meeting, saying: “We met Anglian Water representatives online, including the project manager, to discuss progress and raise concerns we’ve received from residents.
“We were told work had stopped because of some health and safety issues, but has resumed now. All details and changes can be accessed via the water company’s website.
“It reported that despite notice requesting cyclists to dismount, they continue to ride on the path without getting off. Several breaches of the road closure have occurred in the evening, with riders accessing closed areas on motorbikes.
“As such, Anglian Water has had to revisit the decision to allow residents to access their drives, and we’re moving towards creating safe passing zones with ‘no parking’ signs installed.
“We mentioned signage on the A1 not being terribly clear for people who don’t know the area well. We asked if ‘no access to Hitchin Street’ could be included on those signs, which the company agreed to although it’s not happened yet.
“There’s limited ability to do anything with those signs, as National Highways turned down a request to have the diversion route via the A1. Anglian Water said it would request Central Bedfordshire Council update the necessary mapping and routes on Google Maps.
“We agreed to keep the public updated via our social media channels about any changes that are sent through,” she added. “We also raised concerns about our own road closures for events.
“These include the Remembrance Day Parade and Service, and Christmas Fair and Light Switch-on. The company hopes all the works will be completed by the end of September, so that shouldn’t be a problem.
“Anglian Water told us how it supports the locality through donations, community work and volunteering, having done some with Preen Community Interest Company and Biggleswade Baptist Church already.”
Town Mayor councillor Jonathan Woodhead said: “So this project is still ongoing.
“We’ve a good dialogue with Anglian Water. Having these sessions with the company has been quite helpful, as this work still has some way to go.”