City centre gas works won't be finished until Christmas (From South Wales Argus)
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Newport city centre gas works won't be finished until Christmas
8:56am Monday 3rd September 2012 in News
City centre gas works won't be finished until Christmas
WORK to finish essential gas works in the city centre are unlikely to be finished until December and possibly as late as a few days before Christmas.
Wales and West Utilities initially said that gas works in High Street and Commercial Street were aimed to be finished in September, then revised that to later in the autumn.
Now the firm anticipates it will finish the work in the last month of the year, and a Newport council streetworks report suggests they could run until December 21.
Worries from traders, many of whom had benefited from temporarily-withdrawn buses on High Street, have led the leader of Newport council to call for the works to be finished as quickly as possible.
Ken Ellis, president of the Newport Chamber of Trade, said the works would have a "massive effect" on Christmas trading with no buses returning to High Street and with the area in a "mess".
"We have emphasised to the company having it completed before Christmas means having it completed six weeks before," he said.
Tony Turner, butcher in Newport Market, said: "When you see two to three men on the job we wonder what is going on. We're asking them to get more men on the job."
Jon Powell, of the Kiosk on High Street, said for weeks there had been only three people on the job.
"There isn't much money left. I was prepared for all this, I saved money. But we were expecting it to be done before Christmas," he said.
Jane Lalies of X-Clusive Jewellery in Newport Market, said: "It's unsightly at this end of town. It's putting people off coming here. It isn't helping trade in the slightest".
A Wales and West Utilities spokesman said the delay was due to unforeseen difficulties encountered during excavation of the old gas main.
A spokesman for the utility firm said it regretted the delay, which he said was necessary for safety reasons.
He said the firm was aware of the inconvenience caused and assured people that its doing all it can to complete the work as quickly as possible.
"The scale and complexity of the project means that our team may need to work in different locations as the scheme progresses," he added.
THE leader of Newport council has called for Wales and West Utilities to get the work done as quickly as possible.
Councillor Bob Bright said he has called for an urgent meeting with Wales and West to drive forward the scheme and explore options to plough more resources into the project.
Newport Chamber of Trade's Ken Ellis has also been invited to meet officials from Wales and West.
"My officers and I will also be receiving regular updates to ensure all deadlines are being adhered to and that further improvement works can happen as planned and on-time," said Mr Bright.
Wales and West said it had been due to meet the council but the meeting was postponed and is hoped to be rearranged.
Comments(33)
Adrian Williams
says...
9:53am Mon 3 Sep 12
Mr Angry
says...
10:41am Mon 3 Sep 12
Wales and the West asked the Council for permission to do the works, the Council can hardly say 'No'.
Wales and the West NOT the Council have had problems with the work.
Wales and the West NOT the Council decide the manning levels required.
The Council can ask Wales and the West to increase manning levels but as they are a private companyCANNOT LEGALY force them to do so.
Please numpties engage brains before posting ruubish.
UpsetResident
says...
1:08pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Mr Angry wrote:Apologists for Newport council need to remember that other towns and cities are not suffering the crippling, slow and agonising deaths of their high-streets to the same extent as us.
Typical 'Blame the Council' respones from a couple of ill informed numpties.
Wales and the West asked the Council for permission to do the works, the Council can hardly say 'No'.
Wales and the West NOT the Council have had problems with the work.
Wales and the West NOT the Council decide the manning levels required.
The Council can ask Wales and the West to increase manning levels but as they are a private companyCANNOT LEGALY force them to do so.
Please numpties engage brains before posting ruubish.
All you need to do is look at the utter farce of Friars Walk, the Kingsway center referb, have you been in the indoor market recently? its EMPTY.
Its not just residents complaining, if you do a search on google, one journalist likened a trip to Newport as a terrorist atrocity, his words, not mine, but when you look at the sheer number of dead businesses, empty shops and whats left, coffee shops, we have plenty of those, if it's not Newport Council, who the hell is it? And why aren't Newport Council doing something about it??
Maybe we should organise a day trip for all the councilmen so they can visit Cardiff, go look in the St Davids 2, or just a walk up St Marys.. Or a trip to Bath or Bristol, all examples of how a poor economy do not directly correlate to a high-street that appears to have suffered a bombing raid.
GOOD GRIEF
Mr Angry
says...
1:21pm Mon 3 Sep 12
PaulHalliday
says...
1:23pm Mon 3 Sep 12
UpsetResident
says...
1:31pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Mr Angry wrote:What would you suggest my "somewhat dubious agenda" is?
I am not an apologist for the Council, just stating facts, it's inconvient for you that the facts do not suit your somewhat dubious agenda.
If i were to have an agenda, it might be to find a way for ordinary tax paying residents to understand why it seems our council is woefully incapable of preventing our once proud town from sliding into a spiral of debt and abandonment.
I'm from Newport, i live in Newport, but i have lived elsewhere, almost everywhere else I've been has been markedly better and despite my love for my hometown, i'm deeply ashamed of the filthy state its been allowed to wallow in.
Mr Angry
says...
1:36pm Mon 3 Sep 12
UpsetResident
says...
2:10pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Mr Angry wrote:That's hardly what i actually said, i suggest you re-read my post if you're going to comment on it.
If Newports the worse place in the UK you've been in, I would suggest you get about more.
Dave on his Soapbox
says...
6:09pm Mon 3 Sep 12
......Wales and the West asked the Council for permission to do the works, the Council can hardly say 'No'.
Yes they can..as the Highway Authority under the Traffic Management Act they have all sorts of powers....including fining ultilities whose works don't finish on time.
arvinda strop
says...
6:44pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Mr Angry wrote:What a response unbelievable
Typical 'Blame the Council' respones from a couple of ill informed numpties.
Wales and the West asked the Council for permission to do the works, the Council can hardly say 'No'.
Wales and the West NOT the Council have had problems with the work.
Wales and the West NOT the Council decide the manning levels required.
The Council can ask Wales and the West to increase manning levels but as they are a private companyCANNOT LEGALY force them to do so.
Please numpties engage brains before posting ruubish.
The councill are the promary it is up to them to see that work is done in a professional and expediant manner and not inconveniance any buisness or personal interests they are the custodians.
Are you saying any private company that has a requirement to excavate or work in a town center can turn up take as long as they want work in whatever manner they deam fit and there is no recourse.
Get real grasp some reality for gods sake
arvinda strop
says...
6:50pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Dave on his Soapbox wrote:Dont tell Mr angry that it wont fit in with his blinkered one eyed outlook.
Mr Angry wrote:
......Wales and the West asked the Council for permission to do the works, the Council can hardly say 'No'.
Yes they can..as the Highway Authority under the Traffic Management Act they have all sorts of powers....including fining ultilities whose works don't finish on time.
The councill have made a mockary of the town center to defend another debacle is beyond belief.
Welshman76
says...
7:17pm Mon 3 Sep 12
joculex
says...
8:32pm Mon 3 Sep 12
pinpong
says...
8:52pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Severn40
says...
11:09pm Mon 3 Sep 12
Magor
says...
7:14am Tue 4 Sep 12
digispamman
says...
9:00pm Tue 4 Sep 12
Cymru Am Beth
says...
8:32am Wed 5 Sep 12
'If they dropped a bomb on the centre of Newport, they would cause a million pounds worth of improvements'.
merlin the silure
says...
4:40pm Wed 5 Sep 12
digispamman wrote:hear hear !-but dont forget the munters as well as our chavs-spitting,drink
newport city in general, is a chav infested hell hole. flatten the lot and have done with it!
ing alcohol despite the by-law and every other word starts with F,dressed in the height of fashion with their tracksuit bottoms,football shirts,twenty gold chains and multiple tatoos(and thats just the women)!!
chris227
says...
8:28pm Wed 5 Sep 12
Carrot's
says...
6:15pm Thu 6 Sep 12
merlin the silure
says...
7:21pm Thu 6 Sep 12
Carrot's wrote:yes please go on-I cant make up my mind wether this poster is a wum or not.If he/she had walked(as I had this misfortune to do last night) from High Street to the bottom of Commercial Street after dark he/she would certainly not describe it as "welcoming","charmin
What a dreadful amount of snobbery we see here! Newport is a wonderful and vibrant city. Councillor Bright and his team are superb - just imagine the mess we would be in with the Tories in charge! Please lets celebrate Newport and think of what it has to offer: Free parking in Cambrian Road, its many bridges, wonderful nightlife, world class golf, theatre, pubs galore and a welcoming, charming, industrious and friendly community feel - need I go on?
g" and "friendly"
chris227
says...
7:30pm Thu 6 Sep 12
Strider
says...
7:55pm Thu 6 Sep 12
Carrot's wrote:Wonderful Nightlife either all closed or if its still opened owned by Iffy and full of Druggy's, Drunks and other assorted Chav scum who could start a fight in a room with nobody else in it..
What a dreadful amount of snobbery we see here! Newport is a wonderful and vibrant city. Councillor Bright and his team are superb - just imagine the mess we would be in with the Tories in charge! Please lets celebrate Newport and think of what it has to offer: Free parking in Cambrian Road, its many bridges, wonderful nightlife, world class golf, theatre, pubs galore and a welcoming, charming, industrious and friendly community feel - need I go on?
The talisman with its police Notice in Windows stating the loveable rogue's who frequent that pub are not allowed to threaten, abuse or cause alarm or distress to the public or drink outside!!! Or the pub will be closed!!
And Iffi's lost Yates the Argus reported its be turned into a Premiere Inn.. Or the other loveable rogue punching his girlfriend in the face outside Cotten Club I'm sure "He was a lovely kid"
Argus reported in last saturday paper Mothercare leaving 21st of this month, Jewellers also going.. Passport Office and Marks going in Jan.. But we got a load of pubs, fabulous we have a load of trendy theme pubs full of drugged up Chav Scum!!! The Murenger being the only decent pub in town
alwaytom
says...
9:28pm Thu 6 Sep 12
No need to go to town use your local community shopping centres
Limestonecowboy
says...
9:30pm Thu 6 Sep 12
chris227
says...
5:45am Fri 7 Sep 12
Carrot's
says...
8:51am Fri 7 Sep 12
merlin the silure
says...
11:40am Fri 7 Sep 12
bordello
says...
11:39pm Fri 7 Sep 12
digispamman
says...
9:10pm Sat 8 Sep 12
joculex
says...
9:13pm Sat 8 Sep 12
nodnyl says...
9:32am Mon 3 Sep 12
ive often walked past this fiasco and seen one or two men working it says it all the N.C.C. dont care why should the firm working there. this would not happen in any other city centre in the U.K. GET IT FINISHED BEFORE YOU FINISH OF THE REST OF THE SHOPS NOT CLOSED YET