ESSENTIAL work to replace a gas pipe on a busy Newport junction is expected to be completed before the school’s re-open next week.

Wales & West Utilities is carrying out work as part of the final phase of a £1.65million investment scheme in new gas pipes in Bassaleg, Machen, Rhiwderin and the surrounding area which began on July 13.

Earlier this week, the Argus reported Graig ward Councillor David Williams’ criticism of temporary traffic lights causing "absolute chaos" in Bassaleg.

Cllr Williams warned that if the lights are still in place when Bassaleg School reopens after the summer holidays next week then the problems would be exacerbated at rush hour times.

They are next to Bassaleg School and Caerphilly Road, with another system on Channel View.

He believes work should have started over the weekend when the traffic light system was set up in a bid to minimise disruption.

A spokesman from the company said work is taking place on the roundabout at the junction of Forge Road and Caerphilly Road to replace old metal gas pipes with new plastic ones. 

Work was planned for the summer holidays to minimise disruption with three-way traffic lights in place on the roundabout to ensure the safety of road users, pedestrians and workforce.

The temporary traffic lights are manned by specialist contractors who will try to keep disruption and delays to a minimum.

He said: “Our teams will be working through the Bank Holiday weekend, and we are confident that as long as we continue to progress we are, and barring any unforeseen engineering difficulties, our work on the roundabout at the junction of Forge Road and Caerphilly Road will be completed by the end of the day on September 1 before the children return to school. The pedestrian crossing outside the school will be re-opened as soon as work is completed.”

The company has received comments on social media that no engineers have been seen working but this is due to the depth of excavations, which are ten feet beneath the road surface, where teams are working on the new gas pipes.

Once this stage is finished they will move to Caerphilly Road and side roads off it. Two-way traffic lights will be in place and the pedestrian crossing outside the post office will be replaced with a temporary one until work has moved further along Caerphilly Road.

The company is urging commuters who use Caerphilly Road as a short cut to take an alternative route where possible. The work is expected to be off the main road by Christmas but the whole scheme won't be finished until Spring 2016.

He added: “We understand how disruptive work of this kind can be but it is really essential. Our teams on site are working at weekends and extended hours to make sure this work is completed as safely and as quickly as possible.”