GAS pipe replacement work due to start in Church Street, Hilperton, on Monday (July 20) has been delayed a second time and will now take place after the Hilperton Relief Road opens in October.

The work is part of the firm’s multi-million pound 30 year gas pipe replacement scheme across the south west of England and Wales, which includes replacing more than 1.7km of gas pipe in Hilperton with new plastic pipes.

Wales and West Utilities had initially delayed the work at the start of this year with the hope that it would not take place until after the Hilperton Relief Road was completed, so it could be used as the diversion route.

However, delays to the opening of the relief road meant that WWU was going to start the work on Monday. Wiltshire Council has now confirmed a date for the opening of the relief road and has asked WWU to hold off until it is finished.

A Wales & West Utilities spokesman said: “We were meant to start six weeks of work in Church Street, Hilperton, replacing more than 400m of old metal gas pipes with new plastic ones, from July 20.

“This work is needed so that the area continues to receive a safe and reliable supply of gas now and in the future. At the request of Wiltshire Council, this has now been postponed until October 2015, when the Council expects the Hilperton Relief Road to be open.

“We have removed our advanced warning signs from Church Street, and will be writing to local residents explaining the delay. We will also write to those directly affected in advance of work starting in October.”