Burst water main shuts city road (From Worcester News)

Burst water main shuts city road

7:10am Thursday 9th September 2010 in

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A MAJOR city road has been closed due to a burst water main – just eight days after reopening following resurfacing work.

Bromyard Road only reopened last week – ahead of schedule – after a lengthy closure at the St John’s junction end to replace gas mains and resurface parts of the road. But the road will now be shut until Sunday, September 12, between Boughton Avenue and the railway bridge after the leak severely damaged the road.

The burst main was reported at 4pm on Tuesday and workers from Severn Trent Water carried out repairs by 11pm.

However, the leaking water split the recently resurfaced road with water bubbling up through the crack. Worcestershire County Council used the previous two-month closure to carry out engineering works.

Jon Fraser, the council’s highways customer and community manager, said: “It’s going to be closed until Sunday.

“It isn’t going to be a five-minute job.

“We’ve heard from Severn Trent the road repair will cost more than fixing the leak.

“The main has caused the road to blow up quite a bit. It’s done quite a bit of damage.

“The worry is how much it has undermined the road which is why it will take so long – the whole section will have to be dug out.

“They’ll have to plane it and pave quite a large section of road, as they’re responsible for the repair.”

He said there had been another water main which burst in the road a few weeks ago.

A Severn Trent spokeswoman said supply was cut to 21 properties, most of which were businesses.

“We’ve got engineers on site inspecting the damage, to work out what needs to be done,” she said.

Traffic is being diverted to Bransford Road via Grove Way and Watery Lane.

The nos 22, 30, 420, 423 and 424 bus services are also being diverted along the route.

Newsagent Raj Suresh, of Nisa Bromyard Road stores, said trade had dropped off since the closure but his water hadn’t been affected.

But Dan Taylor, co-owner of A44 MOT Station and Tyre Shop, said the same main had burst by the railway bridge a month ago.

“We understand essential works have to be carried out but my garage is empty of customers,” he said.

“I have contacted Severn Trent Water and will be asking for compensation.”