Scouts in Lepton have been learning about the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning while camping thanks to support from the North of England’s gas distributor, Northern Gas Networks (NGN).

Children aged 11 to 14 years old at the Lepton Scout Group are planning camping trips as they work towards achieving their expedition challenge badge. To help keep them safe, NGN held a special workshop to raise awareness of the dangers of using propane bottled gas, BBQs and camp stoves inside tents as they can emit CO gas.

Often referred to as the silent killer, carbon monoxide has no smell, colour or taste, making it difficult to detect. Through games and quizzes, the scouts were educated on the warning signs of CO poisoning and were all given a CO detector to take home.

NGN has been working in Lepton since January investing around £70,000 to upgrade around 1.3km of ageing metal gas mains with new durable plastic pipes. The local engineering firm, PMCE that has been carrying out the work on behalf of NGN also donated a Vango Omega 250 tent to the scout group.

Natalie Beal, customer care officer at NGN who lead the workshop, said: “We have been working in Lepton for around six weeks near to where the scout group are based and we wanted to give something back to the community.

“Many people aren’t aware of the dangers of bringing appliances such as BBQs and stoves in to their tents but they are often used as a way of keeping warm. With the scouts preparing for their expedition badge it was a great opportunity for us to spread the word.

“The scouts raise all of their own funds for their educational trips, such as camping so we would also like to thank our colleagues at PMCE for their kind donation too.”

During the workshop, Natalie was joined by Matthew Cordingley, site manager at NGN’s mains replacement site in Lepton. Using a device called a ‘gascoseeker’, Matthew taught the scouts how to test their gas cooker for CO leakage.

“With the summer months approaching and people beginning to plan camping trips of their own, we’d advise people to have their equipment tested for CO leaks and remember to never bring them inside of their tents,” added Natalie.

For more information on the symptoms of CO poisoning or details on what to do if you suspect a gas leak in your home or business, see:

http://www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk/gas-emergencies/infographic/

NGN delivers gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses across the North of England and provides the region’s rapid response service for customers who smell gas at home or work.

For more information go to www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk

Northern Gas Networks (NGN) is carrying out the final phase of its £150,000 upgrade to the gas mains infrastructure in Batley Road and St Pauls Drive in Wakefield.

The final stage of the essential project begins today (15 February) and will involve upgrading around 200m of ageing metallic gas mains in St Pauls Drive.

Engineers replaced 600m of ageing metallic gas mains in Batley Road last summer as part of NGN’s ongoing development of infrastructure in the area.

The final phase of the project, which is estimated to be an investment of around £70,000, is scheduled to take three weeks to complete and has been carefully planned in conjunction with Wakefield Council in order to minimise the disruption caused.

In order to carry out the work safely and efficiently it will be necessary to close St Pauls Drive to all traffic from Monday 15 February until Friday 4 March.  A signed diversion route will be in place during this time and will be clearly signposted for motorists.  Access will be maintained for residents of St Pauls Drive at all times.

The bus stop at the end of St Pauls Drive will be suspended and a temporary stand will be put in place for the duration of the works.

Warren Iveson, Construction Services Area Manger said: “We’re returning to carry out the final phase of an essential upgrade to gas mains in the area which will involve replacing 200m of existing metallic gas main with more durable plastic pipes to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to our customers in the area for years to come.

“We would like to take this opportunity to apologise to members of the public for any inconvenience this essential work may cause and thank our customers for their patience and understanding.”

If you have any questions about the work please don’t hesitate to contact the Customer Care team on 0800 040 7766. The team is available between 8am and 10pm Monday to Friday, and 8am and 5pm on Saturday.

Engineers from Northern Gas Networks (NGN) are carrying out essential work to repair a gas main on Escomb Road, Bishop Auckland.

Work began on Monday 25 January at the junction of Cockton Hill Road and Escomb Road.

In order to carry out the works safely and efficiently it is necessary to close Escomb Road to traffic for five days from 9am tomorrow (4 February).  A signed diversion will be in place.

Three-way temporary traffic lights have been erected at junction of Cockton Hill Road and Escomb Road.  These are being manned during the day to ensure the continued flow of traffic.

Ian Parkin, network officer for NGN, said: “We have been working closely with the local council to carefully plan these works and will be doing all we can to minimise any disruption caused.

“We would like to take this opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience and thank members of the public for their patience and support.”

For further information about the project 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 on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The North of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is investing over £200,000 to upgrade ageing metal gas mains in A688 Staindrop / Barnard Castle area.

This major project is part of NGNs’ ongoing investment in infrastructure in the region and will involve replacing 1.3km 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 commenced outside of Dunhouse Quarry on Monday 1 February and will progress to Sudburn Bridge.

In order to carry out the works safely and efficiently there will be two way traffic lights in place on the A688 and these will move along the carriageway as the project progresses towards Sudburn Bridge.

Stuart Armin, construction services area manager for NGN, said: “We have been working closely with the local council to carefully plan these works and will be doing all we can to minimise any disruption caused.

“We would like to take this opportunity to apologise for any inconvenience this essential work may cause and thank members of the public for their patience and support.”

The project is expected to take approximately 15 weeks to complete.

For further information about the project 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 on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The North of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is investing £120,000 to upgrade the ageing metal gas mains on Main Street, Shadwell, Leeds.

This major project is part of NGNs’ ongoing investment in the gas infrastructure throughout the region and will involve replacing around 1.5km 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 will commence on Monday 25 January and take approximately 10 weeks to complete, has been carefully planned in conjunction with Leeds City Council to minimise the disruption caused to members of the public.

Russ Oxley, construction services area manager at Northern Gas Networks said: “We have been working closely with Leeds City Council to carefully plan these works and will be doing all we can to minimise any disruption caused.”

In order to carry out the work safely and efficiently it will be necessary to install two way temporary traffic lights on Main Street for the duration of the works.  The lights will move along Main Street in 150m intervals as the works progress.

Bus services will continue as normal and temporary bus stands may be in place.  Pedestrian access will be maintained with and temporary walkways will be provided if needed.

Russ concluded: “To ensure that the work is completed as quickly as possible our engineers will be working Monday to Saturday from 8am to 5pm. We would like to take this opportunity to apologise in advance for any inconvenience this essential work may cause and thank members of the public for their patience and support.”

For further information about the project please 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 on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The north of England’s gas distributor, Northern Gas Networks (NGN) has hit an historic milestone as 100% of its gas replacement works are now delivered by local engineering firms, known as Construction Services Colleagues (CSC), generating around £70 million per year for the local economy.

NGN began working directly with small, local engineering firms in 2011 to deliver the bulk of its mains replacement work rather than relying on big, national contractors, which is the gas industry’s usual approach.

The scale of this model and the level of engagement with these local suppliers, is unique in the industry and NGN is revolutionising the way that the utility sector works with contractors.

The scheme, which sees around 600 people employed as Construction Services Colleagues across the network has not only changed the way NGN carries out its essential gas main replacement works, but it has also made a considerable impact on the firms working with them.

One of the engineering firms that NGN works with is Sunderland based, MA Utilities. Managing director of the firm, Simon Maughan, said: “We work really closely with NGN and manage everything that is involved in the gas mains replacement work from planning, to construction, to closing up and clearing the site when the job is complete.

“Since we started working with NGN in 2011, our workforce has doubled and we have benefitted from a great deal of support and training opportunities. Having such a positive relationship is definitely a two way street. The work with NGN has given us job security and helped us to grow which drives us to do the best job possible for them.”

Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is currently investing millions of pounds in to replacing ageing metal gas mains across its regions with new durable plastic pipes. Working directly with local engineering firms allows NGN to deliver a cost-effective mains replacement programme where customer satisfaction is just as important as the number of meters of pipe put in the ground.

Another engineering firm to work with NGN under its CSC model, is North Tyneside based, Andy Hughes Utility Services (AHUS).

Explaining the changes to his business since 2011, Andy Hughes of AHUS, said: “I first began working with NGN in 2006 but I was employed through an external contractor. I started out with just myself, one van and two employees but since working directly with NGN, I have been able to considerably grow my business. I now have around 80 employees, 25 vans and we’re always busy.

“We operate predominantly in the North Tyneside area with approximately 80% of our team working in the area that they live but we sometimes travel to Halifax and Yorkshire if needed. Working with NGN has been a great opportunity not only for us to grow but to keep it all within our local area and create more jobs here.”

Dean Shepherdson, Head of Construction Services at NGN, said: “Local firms, such as MA Utilities and AHUS, have a great understanding of the areas that they’re working in and they know our stakeholders really well. They work to our own high standards and are effectively an extension of NGN.  The model has resulted in us being able to improve efficiencies by 10% whilst dramatically improving customer service and site safety.

“These two companies are fantastic examples of small firms that have been able to grow, upskill its workforce and stimulate the local economy with employment opportunities through our relationship with them.”

NGN delivers gas to 2.7 million homes and businesses across the North of England and provides the region’s rapid response service for customers who smell gas at home or work.

The company is investing £90 million annually to replace around 530 km of ageing metal gas mains across the north of England with new durable plastic pipes every year until 2021.

For more information go to www.northerngasnetworks.co.uk

The North of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is inviting members of the public to attend a meeting about its £90,000 investment in ageing metal gas mains in Armitage Road, Armitage Bridge, Huddersfield.

The upgrade, which began on 5 January involves replacing 1km of old metal gas mains with new plastic pipe to ensure the continued safe and reliable supply of gas to customers in the area for years to come.

NGN is holding a customer forum at the Monkey Club, Dean Brook Road, HD4 7PB on Wednesday 13 January between 9.30 and 10.30am.  The session will provide an opportunity for customers to drop by and speak to NGN’s Customer Care team to learn more about the work.  The team will be on hand to listen to customers, answer any questions about the project and provide detailed information about the work currently taking place.

Jade Wardle, Stakeholder Relations Manager at NGN said: “We’re holding the drop in session to give as many people as possible to opportunity to speak to us about the work.  If you’re not able to make it on the day we’d encourage you to call our Customer Care team, email us or speak to an engineer on site.”

She continued: “We would like to take this opportunity to apologise in advance for any inconvenience this essential work may cause and thank members of the public for their patience and support.”

For further information about the project please 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 on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

The North of England’s gas distributer, Northern Gas Networks (NGN), is investing £145,000 to upgrade ageing metal gas mains on South Parade, Ossett.

This major project is part of NGNs’ ongoing replacement of infrastructure in the region and will involve upgrading over 1.2km 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 will commence on Tuesday 19 January and is scheduled to take approximately eight weeks to complete, has been carefully planned in conjunction with Wakefield City Council.

Warren Iveson, construction services area manager at Northern Gas Networks said: “We know that no one likes roadworks and we have been working closely with Wakefield City Council to plan the work to minimise the disruption caused.

He continued: “Our teams have been door knocking local homes and businesses in the area to make them aware of the work and how it will affect them.  We will be holding a community forum at the South Ossett Baptist Church, Junction Lane Ossett, WF5 OHA on Thursday 14 January from 4-6pm where our team will be on hand to answer any questions about the work.  We hope to see people there.”

The project will be carried out in phases to minimise the disruption caused.  Work will take place in the following streets:

Leopold Street

Goring Park Avenue

Junction Lane

Spa Croft Road

Junction Lane

Greenfield Close

In order to complete the works safely and efficiently it will be necessary to put a number of traffic management measures in place. Two way traffic signals will be in place on South Parade from 19 January and will remain throughout the works and four way traffic signals will be in place at the junction of South Parade and Junction Lane from Saturday 6 February for two weeks.

There will be no changes to any existing bus services in the area and NGN will endeavour to maintain pedestrian access at all times.

A Customer Care Officer will be on hand throughout the work to keep all local homes and businesses in the area informed as the work progresses.

Warren continued: “We would like to take this opportunity to apologise in advance for any inconvenience this essential work may cause and thank members of the public for their patience and support.”

For further information about the project please 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 on 0800 111 999. This line is in operation 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.

Emergency engineers from Northern Gas Networks (NGN) have been working through the night to repair a gas escape outside the Gates Shopping Centre in Durham following reports of a smell of gas yesterday (11 January).

NGN evacuated the shopping mall as a safety precaution yesterday.

The gas escape is now under control and engineers have advised that it is safe to reopen the Gates Shopping Centre today (12 January).

John Richardson, customer operations area manager at Northern Gas Networks said: “The safety of members of public is our number one priority.  Our team of highly skilled engineers worked throughout the night to repair the gas main and identified the source of the leak at around 9.00pm yesterday evening.

“We have now repaired the pipe but will continue to have a presence on site while we monitor the situation. We’d like to apologise to customers and retailers for the inconvenience caused and thank everyone for their patience.”

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.

Emergency engineers from Northern Gas Networks (NGN) are continuing to investigate a gas escape outside the Gates Shopping Centre in Durham following reports of a smell of gas this morning.

NGN evacuated the shopping mall as a safety precaution earlier today and will be working through the night as they continue their investigations to identify the source of the leak.

John Richardson, customer operations area manager at Northern Gas Networks said: “The safety of members of public is our number one priority.  Our team of highly skilled engineers will be working throughout the night as they work to repair the gas main.

“We’d like to apologise to customers and retailers for the inconvenience caused and thank everyone for their patience.”
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.