ACCESS to a road in Tyldesley will be restricted from tomorrow, Monday, for around two weeks as work to upgrade a major gas main gets underway.

Network Cadent will be replacing an 80m section of an old metallic gas main, which runs under Hough Lane and is coming to the end of its working life, with a tough new plastic one.

Engineers need to work in one of the two lanes of the carriageway so a plan has been agreed with Wigan Council to manage the flow of vehicles during this time.

From tomorrow, Monday, for around two weeks, there will be no access from A577 Manchester Road / Sale Lane onto Hough Lane.

But traffic will still be able to flow off Hough Lane onto the A577.

A diversion will be signposted and motorists are advised to allow extra time for journeys.

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Craig Horrocks, who heads the mains replacement programme Cadent, which has commissioned this work, said: “Cadent has to ensure gas reaches every home that needs it, safely, and on demand.

"What we’re doing is essential work to upgrade an ageing asset that’s simply reached the end of its working life.

"We always try to minimise the impact of work like this but, as we’re working in the road, some disruption is unavoidable.

"We expect this to take around two weeks and we thank people for their patience while we get this job done.”

Teams will work on the main "live" – which means the gas stays on and there will be no interruption to main local supplies.

This is apart from 10 properties which also need to have their "service pipes" replaced (the pipes which carry gas from the main in the road into their home).

Cadent say the residents have received letters to explain the process.

They will be notified in advance and the gas will be turned back on for them later on the same day that it is turned off.