Two Yorkshire school students helped deliver a vital gas safety message to the House of Commons last week, as part of a competition organised by Northern Gas Networks, the gas distributer for the north of England.

Ten-year-old Kylie Lunga of Biggin Hill Primary School in Hull, and eight-year-old Eleanor Grattoni-May of Ashville College Junior School in Harrogate were chosen as NGN’s winners of the Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness competition, held by the UK gas distribution networks earlier this year in partnership with national charity CO-Gas Safety.

NGN Head of Social Strategy Tom Bell, with Kylie Lunga, Eleanor Grattoni-May and MP for Huddersfield Barry Sheerman

CO, also known as the ‘silent killer’, is a toxic gas which cannot be seen, smelled, heard or tasted, making it difficult to detect. CO is produced by the incomplete burning of fossil fuels and can be emitted by faulty boilers or gas appliances. Symptoms of CO poisoning include dizziness, nausea and shortness of breath, with around 50 UK deaths recorded every year.

NGN’s competition asked primary school age children across the North East, northern Cumbria and much of Yorkshire to bring their understanding of CO safety messages to life through a form of media: be it a poster, newspaper report, video or poem.

The entries could be submitted as a group or individually, and Kylie’s mock newspaper article on the effects of CO poisoning and the importance of CO alarms impressed NGN’s judges, while Eleanor’s clever poem about the ‘Invisible Monster’ stood out from the crowd.

Named as winners for the North, both girls collected a trophy plus prizes of £150 for themselves and £250 for their school.

As part of the parliamentary launch of Gas Safety Week on September 13, the pair then joined other regional winners at the House of Commons  to meet Huddersfield MP Barry Sheerman, the Co Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group, and Stacey Rodgers, mother of CO victim Dominic Rodgers and founder of the Dominic Rodgers Trust.

NGN’s Head of Social Strategy Tom Bell said: “I am delighted that during the launch of Gas Safety Week, which runs from September 19-25, we are able to announce the two winners of our Carbon Monoxide (CO) Awareness competition.

“I was really pleased that we had so many high quality entries, using a range of media to raise awareness of the causes, risks and avoidance of harm from CO, its symptoms being very similar to a heavy cold or ‘flu.

“Kylie and Eleanor really captured key information about the importance of having a CO alarm, and calling the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 11 999 if symptoms of CO are suspected.

“The competition has been a huge success, and in partnership with national charity CO-Gas Safe, we look forward to running it once again later this year.”

This year’s Gas Safety Week runs from Monday 19 September -Sunday 25 September.

Anyone that smells gas or suspects carbon monoxide poisoning should call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The North of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks’ (NGN), opened the doors of its Hull depot to stakeholders and the local community for the first time on Thursday (15 September).

The day was a chance for members of public to find out more about what the gas distributor for the North of England does, how it does it and future plans for the East Riding region.

A demonstration of the new water removal technology at NGN’s Hull Depot Day on September 15 2016.

NGN employs around 200 colleagues in East Riding, an area which spans from the Yorkshire Wolds on its northern boundary to the Humber Estuary and the North Sea in the south and east. It includes the cities of Hull, Pontefract and Wakefield, and the north of Doncaster and Barnsley.

Visitors were taken on a tour of the depot at Clough Road, and given the opportunity to find out more about NGN’s innovative approach to repairing and replacing gas pipes. They also learned more about the work that the company is doing with local schools and to support the more vulnerable members of the community.

This was also a chance to see first-hand NGN’s life-saving gas detection technology that can detect harmful levels of carbon monoxide in the atmosphere, and view its new Core and Vac technology in practice, which reduces the amount of time taken to find a gas leak and make a repair from days to hours.

Amanda White, Customer Operations Area Manager for the East Riding area said: “We were delighted to welcome visitors and stakeholders to our first ever depot day at Hull. It was a chance to show what we do and how much work behind the scenes goes into preparing each of our projects, and we had some really great feedback from everyone who came down.

“Northern Gas Networks provides an essential service to the local community each and every day, so it was a great opportunity to share information about the work we do and also get feedback from our customers and stakeholders to help us continuously improve the service we provide.”

NGN delivers gas to around 375,952 homes and businesses in East Riding, covering an area of 3,500km2 and housing two depots stationed in Hull and Pontefract.

The north of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is investing £195,000 to upgrade the ageing gas distribution network in Wilbert Lane and Mill Lane, Beverley.

The major project is part of NGN’s ongoing development of infrastructure in the area and will involve replacing around 950m of existing metal gas mains with more durable plastic pipes, to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the area for years to come.

The project, which begins on Monday 26 September and will last approximately 12 weeks with an estimated finish date of 16 December, has been planned in conjunction with East Riding of Yorkshire Council to ensure all works are completed with as little disruption as possible.

The works will take place in four phases, the first of which will take place on Wilbert Grove on Monday 26 September and is expected to last one week. In order for engineers to work as safely and efficiently as possible, a road closure will be placed on Wilbert Grove during this time.

The scheme will then move on North Bar Without and North Bar Within between Wyless Road and Hengate on Monday 3 October, and this phase is estimated to last around three weeks.

A road closure will be placed on Hengate from Sunday October 16 from 4.30pm until 7am on Monday 17 October. Engineers will work in teams through the night to complete this phase. During this time there will be no access for HGVs, which will need to follow a clearly signed diversion route along the A164 Minster Way. Cars and smaller vehicles however will be able to pass straight up to the Bar.

Customer Care officers are doorknocking customers and hand delivering letters to local businesses to update them on this phase.

The next phase sees works progress to Mill Lane between the junction of Norwood and Cherry Tree Crossing on Monday 24 October, for around three weeks. A road closure will be introduced on on Mill Lane between Norwood and Wellington Road for the duration of this phase.

The final phase will begin Monday 21 November on Cherry Tree Crossing and will continue up to 97 Cherry Tree Lane. This phase will last two weeks, with a road closure on Cherry Tree Lane across the railway line from Monday 21 November for two weeks.  Parking will also  be restricted on Cherry Tree Lane next to the railway line for the full duration of this final phase.

Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times and engineers will be working Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm.

 Robert Hope, Construction Services Area Manager at Northern Gas Networks said: “We have been working closely with East Riding of Yorkshire Council to carefully plan this project in order to minimise disruption to customers.

  “We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused during these works and thank our customers for their patience and support in getting them completed as quickly as possible.”

For further information about the project please contact NGN’s Customer Care team on 0800 040 7766, option 7 or email customercare@northerngas.co.uk

Anyone that smells gas or suspects Carbon Monoxide should call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

ENDS

About Northern Gas Networks

Northern Gas Networks own all the gas mains in the North East, most of Yorkshire and northern Cumbria transporting gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses.

The network consists of 37,000km of gas mains, enough to stretch from Leeds to Sydney, Australia and back.

Our mains replacement programme will see 3,800km of old metal gas main replaced with modern plastic equivalents by 2021.

For more information please visit our website www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk

www.facebook.com/northerngasnetworks

Follow us @NGNgas

You can contact Northern Gas Network’s press office on: 0113 3227950 during office hours (between 8.30am and 5pm, Monday – Friday, excluding Bank Holidays) or call the out of hours service on 0113 3227978 at any other time.

You can contact the Northern Gas Networks Customer Care team on 0800 040 7766, option 7. The team is available between 8am and 10pm Monday to Friday, and 8am and 5pm on Saturday.

The North of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks, (NGN) said thank you to a special customer in Newcastle last week.

Back in April, Mrs Hilda McCabe, 82,  read an article in the Newcastle Chronicle about NGN’s intention to dismantle and remove its gas holder tanks in Howdon.

The 82-year-old grandmother grew up in Howdon, and attended Stevenson Memorial School, which was built in the shadow of the holders.

Northern Gas Networks customer Hilda McCabe is presented with a bespoke drawing of the gas holder at Howdon by Mark Johnson (NGN Major Projects Team Lead)

She wrote a letter to the gas transporter to find out more and in May, NGN’s Major Projects Team Lead Mark Johnson paid Mrs McCabe a visit to thank her for her interest and update her on progress at the site.

On September 8, Mark returned to visit Mrs McCabe, and was also able to show her a set of planning documents detailing the holders’ history and present a unique drawing of the holders by NGN artist-in-residence Mick Hand.

Mrs McCabe explained: “I used to see the gas holders every Wednesday on the Metro going to my luncheon club.

“I was reading the Chronicle at a friend’s house when I saw the story about them being dismantled, and I thought ‘goodness, I grew up seeing them every day, what’s happening to them?”

“They were always there in the background, and when I was at school we’d often say to each other ‘oh, gas is low today’ when you could see the tanks were down.”

For around 100 years gas holders were a vital part of the local gas supply system, responsible for supplying gas to thousands of people across the country.  In more recent years, the holders were used to bolster the network’s gas supplies during colder weather, and at peak times in the early evenings.

However, advances in technology and the enhanced capability of the modern-day gas network, mean that gas holders are no longer in use.

NGN is committed to taking down its gas holders in an environmentally responsible way, by recycling as many materials as possible. The company will be using tried and tested techniques to clear the site and after the holders  are removed, spoil from local streetworks sites will be used to fill the vast excavation left behind.

The Howdon site supported three gas holder tanks in total, two above ground and one below. All three holders are in the process of being safely taken down by NGN’s demolition partners O’Brien Group, with the project due to complete at the end of September.

A set of archive plans from 1864 shows no tanks but plots the nearby Great North Eastern Railway line, which would later have transported coal to the gas yard at Howdon Lane, where town gas was made and stored in the holders.

A 1916 drawing shows plans for two tanks, and by 1921 two gas holders are shown in place with a third later plotted and then constructed in the 1950s.

Three brick houses for workers and a chief supervisor at the gas yard are also shown, and Mrs McCabe clearly remembers being sent to ‘collect coke’ for two shillings from the gas yard.

Before they could be dismantled, the holders were drained of water, cleaned from the inside out by special environmental teams, with sections of the tank then cut out and removed.

The 32-week project is due to be finished at the end of September, when the sight from the Metro will be forever changed for Mrs McCabe.

“I probably will miss them as they’re something you just get used to seeing. It’s funny to think I’ll be passing on the train and they won’t be there,” she said.

“But it’s fascinating to learn their history – I had no idea there was one underground – and hear about how much has gone into taking them down.”

Anyone that smells gas should call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The north of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is investing around £265,000 to upgrade the ageing gas mains in Gallows Bank, Hexham.

The essential project is part of NGN’s ongoing investment in the gas infrastructure in the area and involves replacing 1.8km of existing metal gas mains with more durable plastic pipes, to ensure the continued, safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the area for years to come.

The 16 week project began on Monday 25 July 2016, carefully planned in conjunction with Northumberland County Council to take place during the school holidays in order to minimise disruption to the local community.

Customer Care officers doorknocked local homes and businesses in advance of the scheme to make residents aware of the work and advise motorists of the traffic management measures in place.

Works are progressing well and have now reached the half-way stage. In order to complete the current phase as safely and efficiently as possible, a road closure will be in place from Dipton Mill Road to Hackwood Glade until September 30.

Phase Three will take place from Hackwood Glade to Shield Croft Farm on Gallows Bank, with the final phase scheduled to start on Tyne View Terrace at the end of October. The entire project is expected to be complete by Friday 11 November.

NGN will be holding a community forum in the Teasdale Room, Hexham Enterprise Hub, Eastburn, Southpark, Hexham, NE46 1BS from 5.30pm on Monday 26 September, to discuss Phase Three and possible traffic management in greater detail. The project manager will be available to speak to customers and answer any questions they may have.

Richie Manuel, Construction Services Area Manager for Northern Gas Networks said: “We have been working closely with the local council to carefully plan these works and will be doing all we can to minimise disruption to customers.

“We will endeavour to carry out this work as quickly and safely as possible and will be sure to keep customers updated as the work progresses.

“We would like to take this opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience caused during these works and thank everyone for their patience and support while we work to carry out this essential upgrade.”

For further information about the project please contact NGN’s Customer Care team on 0800 040 7766, option 7 or email customercare@northerngas.co.uk.

Anyone that smells gas or suspects Carbon Monoxide should call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The North of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is investing over £450,000 to safely dismantle and remove its gas holder tank at Minton Lane, North Shields.

The gas holder tank at Minton Lane, North Shields.

The major project, which began on Monday 12 September 2016, will take 26 weeks to complete and will be carried out in conjunction with specialist partner, G O’Brien & Sons.

For around 100 years gas holders were a vital part of the local gas supply system, responsible for supplying gas to thousands of people across the country.  In more recent years the gas holders have been used to bolster the network’s gas supplies during colder weather, and at peak times in the early evenings.  However, advances in technology and the enhanced capability of the modern-day gas network mean that gas holders are no longer in use.

NGN is committed to taking down its gas holders in an environmentally responsible way, by recycling as many materials as possible. The company will be using recycling all materials taken away from the site.

G O’Brien & Sons have a reputation both locally and nationally for high levels of service and professionalism, having undertaken a large number of demolition and dismantling projects over the years.

Mark Johnson, project lead from NGN’s Major Projects team said; “The decision has been made to dismantle the gas holder at Minton Lane as it is no longer in use and is costly to maintain. We’ll be working with a specialist contractor to carry out the work in a safe and environmentally responsible way.

“We know how important these structures can be to some communities and we’ll be working closely with local community and stakeholders to give them the opportunity to commemorate the structure as it disappears from the skyline, through hosting art workshops in schools in conjunction with our local community artist.”

A customer meeting to update residents and local businesses on the project will be held at Parks Leisure Centre on Thursday 29 September, from 6.30pm. NGN’s Customer Care team will be available to answer questions and share more information on progress.

Meantime, NGN is encouraging people to share their memories of the Minton Lane gas holder through its ‘Gas Holder Memories’ campaign by emailing gasholdermemories@northerngas.co.uk, using #gasholdermemories on social media or in writing to: Northern Gas Networks, 1^st Floor, 1 Emperor Way, Doxford International Business Park, Sunderland, SR3 3XR.

NGN is aiming to demolish 23 of the region’s gas holders by 2021 as part of continued investment in modernising the gas network.

A short film has been made a short film to commemorate NGN’s gas holders as they disappear from the regions skyline.  The film is available to watch at: http://www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/ngn-and-you/environment/cleaner-and-greener/case-studies/

For further information about the project please visit www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk, contact NGN’s Customer Care team on 0800 040 7766 or email customercare@northerngas.co.uk.

Anyone that smells gas or suspects Carbon Monoxide should call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Update: Essential upgrade to Ilkley gas distribution network

The north of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is investing around £27,000 to upgrade the ageing gas distribution network in Railway Road, Ilkley.

The major project is part of NGN’s ongoing development of infrastructure in the area and involves reinforcement work to the gas network to maintain pressure during the winter months in Ilkley. This is to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the area for years to come.

The project, which began on Monday 5 September, has been planned in conjunction with Bradford Council to ensure all works are completed with as little disruption as possible.

In order to complete the scheme safely and efficiently, a road closure has been placed on Railway Road at the junction of Nelson Road for the entire project, with a fully signed diversion in place for motorists and access for pedestrian maintained at all times.

NGN Customer Care Officers from NGN have door-knocked local residents and businesses and sent letters to make them aware of the work, while shops and businesses will remain open as usual.

Due to the complexity of the engineering works required, the project been temporarily paused in agreement with Bradford Council from Thursday 8 September.

Engineers will return to site on Monday 12 September when works will resume.

The road closure and diversion will remain in place during this time.

Dean Woolley, Network Officer for Northern Gas Networks said: “We have been working closely with Bradford Council to carefully plan this essential project and are doing all we can to minimise any disruption to customers.

“We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused and thank our customers for their patience and support in getting them completed as quickly as possible.”

For further information about the project please contact NGN’s Customer Care team on 0800 040 7766, option 7 or email customercare@northerngas.co.uk

Anyone that smells gas or suspects Carbon Monoxide should call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Engineers from Northern Gas Networks are continuing emergency repair work to a medium pressure gas main at Calvert Lane, Hull today  (Friday 9 September 2016).

The main is located in the carriageway of Calvert Lane and as a result, it has been necessary to introduce a road closure in order for engineers to work as safely and efficiently as possible.

There has been no loss of supply to properties in the area, however NGN engineers may need to access individual properties as required in order to complete the work.

The Calvert Practice doctors surgery at the Calvert Centre has opted to temporarily relocate to the Riverside Medical Centre on Walker Street while the work continues.

Residents can access Calvert Lane from Anlaby Road but access from Spring Bank West is not currently possible.

Customer Care officers are doorknocking homes and businesses in the area to make customers aware of the work and, update on progress.

The pipe has required emergency repair in the past however NGN are confident the current works will minimise inconvenience to customers in future.

Tim Last, Network Officer for NGN, said: “We’re working to repair the main as quickly and as safely as we can, and in order to do this we had to temporarily close the road this morning and the road is still closed at the moment.

“We’d like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused and thank everyone for their patience while we complete this essential work.”

NGN’s Customer Care team is available on 0800 040 7766 option 7.

Anyone that smells gas or suspects carbon monoxide should ring the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The north of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is investing around £160,000 to upgrade the ageing gas mains in Station Road, Gosforth.

The essential project is part of NGN’s ongoing investment in the area’s gas infrastructure and involves replacing around 500m of existing metal gas mains with more durable plastic pipes, to ensure the continued, safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the area for years to come.

The ageing main has required several emergency repairs in recent years and NGN prioritised the pipe for replacement this year in order to minimise any inconvenience caused by future gas leaks. The ten-week project which started on Friday 22 July 2016 is progressing well.

In order to carry out the next phase of works safely and efficiently, it will be necessary to introduce a lane closure from Haddricks Mill Road up to Audley Road. This will be in place from Monday 5^th September for five calendar days, during which time there will be no access to Station Road. 

NGN has been working closely with Newcastle City Council to plan this work and Customer Care Officers have been door-knocking local homes and businesses to make customers aware while on-site signage will advise motorists of the diversion route in place.

Shops and businesses in the area will remain open as usual.

Richie Manuel, Construction Services Area Manager for Northern Gas Networks said: “We have been working closely with the local council to carefully plan these works and will be doing all we can to minimise disruption to customers.

“We know that nobody likes roadworks so would like to thank members of the public for bearing with us while we carry out this essential project, which will ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the area for years to come.”

For further information about the project please contact NGN’s Customer Care team on 0800 040 7766, option 7 or email customercare@northerngas.co.uk.

Anyone that smells gas or suspects Carbon Monoxide should call the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The north of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is investing £50,000 to upgrade the ageing gas distribution network at the Leeds and Bradford Road canal bridge in Bramley, Leeds.

The major project is part of NGN’s ongoing development of infrastructure in the area and will involve replacing 150 metres of existing metal gas mains with more durable plastic pipes, to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the area for years to come.

The project, which begins on Friday 2 September and will last approximately three weeks with an estimated completion date of 25 September, has been planned in conjunction with Network Rail, British Waterways and Leeds City Council’s Bridges Department to ensure all works are completed with as little disruption as possible.

The scheme will be carried out in three phases, Phase One beginning at 7pm on Friday 2 September and continuing until 5am on Monday 5 September. In order for engineers to carry out the work safely and efficiently, some traffic management will be necessary.

There will be a lane closure on the outbound lane of the B6157 Leeds and Bradford Road, and no access for buses or heavy goods vehicles on the inbound lane. A fully signed diversion will be in place for these drivers to follow.

Phase Two will begin on Monday September 5 and will continue until Friday 23 September, but will not require any traffic management.

Phase Three will begin at 7pm on Friday 23 September and is expected to continue until 5am Monday 26 September. During this time there will be a lane closure on the outbound lane of the B6157 with no access inbound for buses or heavy goods vehicles. Again, a fully signed diversion will be in place for these drivers to follow.

It’s expected that there will be some delays to bus services during Phases One and Three, and all bus companies have been notified of the works and will be kept informed throughout.

NGN engineers will be on site between 7.30am and 5pm during Phase Two, however during Phases One and Three, teams will be working shifts across 24 hours in order to complete the project as safely and as quickly as possible.

James Knox, Site Manager for Northern Gas Networks said: “We have been working closely with Network Rail, British Waterways and Leeds City Council’s Bridges Department to carefully plan this project and will introduce the traffic management on weekends only to reduce disruption to customers.

“We would like to apologise in advance for any inconvenience caused during these works, and thank our customers for their patience and support in getting them completed as quickly as possible.”

For further information about the project please contact NGN’s Customer Care team on 0800 040 7766, option 7 or email customercare@northerngas.co.uk

Anyone that smells gas or suspects Carbon Monoxide should call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.