Strabane summer upgrade works announced

EVOLVE, the gas network operator for the west of Northern Ireland, has announced key upgrade works in Strabane this summer amid increasing demand for gas conversions in the local area.

Commencing on Monday, June 17, the overall works programme is expected to run until early September, and will include some road closures and one-way lane closures.

Newtown Street will have a road closure in effect in late June for some days followed by a closure on Patrick Street in early July for approximately one week.

A one-way lane closure is planned on Bridge Street in late August.

The programme will also see minor works taking place in the surrounding areas including Newton Lane, Bowling Green, Butcher Street, Barrack Street, Brigade Terrace, Kennedy Street, Mill Street, Melmount Villas, Ballycolman Avenue, Chestnut Park, Bridgend Park and Melvin Road.

Access will be maintained for emergency services at all times, with notifications issued to all stakeholders who may be affected by the works. The roadworks section on the Evolve website will be updated regularly with the relevant works information and traffic management plans.

When the works are complete, many more homes and businesses in Strabane will be able to connect to the state-of-the-art Evolve network to instantly reduce their carbon emissions, while also enjoying the many additional benefits of gas.

Mark Davidson, head of engineering at Evolve, said: “We sincerely thank the local community for their cooperation during the upcoming works. We will strive to minimise disruption as much as possible and kindly advise motorists to plan their journeys accordingly.

"We are delighted that more homes and businesses in Strabane will soon be able to connect to our network to enjoy the immediate and long-term benefits of gas.

"As a cleaner and more efficient energy source compared to oil and solid fuel, our gas infrastructure will ultimately play a key role in decarbonising the west of Northern Ireland, particularly with recent biomethane developments in our network.”

The first-ever direct-to-grid injection of biomethane, a fully renewable energy source, took place within the Evolve network last year, in what was a landmark moment for the decarbonisation of energy.

The integration of renewable and sustainable energy sources into existing gas grids is identified as a crucial step by government.

Connecting to the gas network to take advantage of the plan to fully decarbonise the gas being used is a recommendation in the Northern Ireland Executive’s Path to Net Zero Energy Strategy.

To keep up to date with the latest roadworks information in the Evolve network, visit evolvenetwork.co.uk/roadworks.