I headed down to Broadwater Road in Worthing last Thursday to see how the new SGN roadworks were working. This is the 800m main gas pipeline replacement close to Bohunt School and extending into Sompting Avenue which is scheduled to take 23 weeks. I have written about my meetings with SGN to discuss why the work is over such a long period and how they are minimising disruption to motorists and residents.
I was pleasantly surprised that the traffic was flowing well and SGN had reduced the amount of lane closure. Importantly the company has pledged to give weekly updates on how the work is progressing and liaise with residents as much as possible. I have introduced a special section on my website for updates with a video from last week and will post news on Facebook too, so please let me know if things are not being handled well. The aim of the work is to replace a main gas pipe which is now over 100 years old and where the seals have been failing requiring regular digging up of the road when leaks occur. Hopefully that should become a thing of the past when the work is completed.
Earlier that morning I spent a fascinating time with criminology students at Worthing College talking about how legislation progresses through Parliament and the story behind my Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act from 2019. Later that afternoon it was off to the Rampion Visitor Center in Brighton who were hosting our EYE (Eco, Young & Engaged) Project question time event where 15 of our fiercest eco-warrior students grilled the Chief Executive of Southern Water for over an hour.
There was lots on sewage, water quality and becoming net zero and a really fascinating session with some brilliant questioning, and they didn’t hold back. Chief Executive Lawrence Gosden said it was one of the toughest sessions he had held. The full video and report will be available on my website and the EYE Project site soon.
