Work to reduce the chances of burst water pipes affecting traffic at a busy Essex junction has been completed.
In recent months, instances of burst water pipes around the Sadlers Farm junction of the A13 have resulted in traffic congestion.
Essex & Suffolk Water have now carried out changes to its local water network to help. This has involved one of three pipes serving the area being removed from service, where it crossed London Road at the junction of the High Road and Rushbottom Lane, known locally as the Tarpots junction.
The company has put measures in place that enabled the flow of water to be redirected, allowing the stretch of pipe beneath the road to be taken out of use, without affecting supply to customers in the Benfleet area.
Work was carried out over the past few months to put necessary connections in place and make the final disconnection of the 9” main as part of a holistic approach to improving the resilience of the network around the junction.
Ross Beckwith, Essex & Suffolk Water’s Head of Water Networks, said: “This junction is important to local people and commuters who pass through the area going to and from London, and we know how frustrating it can be when journeys are disrupted.
“With two pipes running from Sadlers Farm roundabout and the 9” main running under this junction, London Road in Benfleet has been more susceptible than most to disruptions when work has been needed on our network, for example when there was a burst on this pipe in September 2021, and we wanted to take action.
“The pipe we have worked on can now no longer burst, so we have significantly reduced the chances of our network causing problems at Sadlers Farm and we will continue to take a holistic view of our network in the area to protect water supply and motorists’ journeys.”