WORK to upgrade gas pipes in Kingsteignton is due to begin imminently, with the first phase of a major £2.4million investment getting under way in September.

Wales & West Utilities is carrying out the work as part of a wider programme that will see more than eight kilometres of gas pipes upgraded across the area over the next two years.

The company says the investment is needed to ensure the gas network remains safe, reliable and fit for the future, helping to maintain supplies to homes and businesses for decades to come.

The initial phase will affect the junction of Exeter Road and Clifford Avenue, where manually operated multiway traffic lights will be in place from September 7 to 29.

The work has been planned in conjunction with Devon County Council, with traffic management introduced to help keep the project moving, while minimising disruption to road users.

Roxanne Whittaker, who is managing the project for Wales & West Utilities, said the work was essential to maintaining a resilient gas network.

‘We understand our work can cause disruption, but it is essential to maintain a resilient gas network that households and businesses can rely on every day’, she said.

She added that once the programme is complete, the upgraded network will be ready to meet current energy needs and transport greener gases in the future.

The company says completing the work now should also reduce the need for further major disruption in the area in the coming decades, apart from emergency repairs.

As the project begins, customers can also find out what to expect from the work at www.wwutilities.co.uk/services/gas-pipe-upgrades