Gas pipes in Wigan will be upgraded as part of Cadent’s £90m upgrade to secure future supply

A £90million investment will be made over the next 12 months to upgrade more than 400km of gas pipes in the North West - including 21km in Wigan. 

Cadent, which manages the region's gas distribution network, will upgrade some of its oldest pipes to ensure a safe, reliable supply of gas to heat homes, hospitals, schools and other buildings.

Confirming the programme of mains replacement work for the year from April 2026 to March 2027, Cadent said around 70 skilled engineering teams will deliver the projects.

The upgrades mean big environmental gains for the region, as it reduces methane emissions and enables a move to more renewable gases like biomethane.

The work is part of a 30‑year national gas mains replacement programme, which began in 2002.

Each year, Cadent replaces around 1.5 per cent of the 34,000km of gas pipes that make up the North West network, most of which are located beneath roads and pavements.

Lucy Sterry, head of work management for Cadent in the North West, said: “Most homes in the North West rely on gas for heat and hot water, and it’s our responsibility to make sure that supply remains safe and reliable every minute of the year.

“In most cases - around 95 per cent of the time - we are able to insert the new plastic pipe into the old metallic one. This technique reduces the time of each project and we don’t have to dig as much, which means less disruption for local communities.”

Properties affected by the work will receive advance notification and customer feedback from last year’s programme averaged 9.16 out of 10.

Gas supplies remain on for most customers throughout the work, though in some cases properties directly connected to a pipe being replaced may experience a temporary interruption of up to 12 hours while they are reconnected.

Customer teams will be on hand to answer questions and support customers, particularly those on the priority services register.