DESPITE hopes that work would be completed yesterday (Friday, 18 September) a traffic management system is still in place around gas engineering works on London Road in Stanford-le-Hope.

The actual repair on the gas main was completed by Cadent engineers on Thursday, 48 hours after work started on the site – which has been dug up many times for previous leaks over the past 15 years and more.

Yesterday morning a statement from Cadent said: "The job of backfill and reinstatement of the ground sits with external contractors Ferns, who are working on it today, and started work last night. We have also taken special measures to ensure the exit from the adjacent service station isn't affected."

The road traffic measures originally included a three way connection with London Road, Kingsman Road and Rayleigh Road, but midway through the work the two access roads were cut off.

Cadent said: "We are collaborating across stakeholders to minimise disruption. The road closures were put in place at the request of the Highways Authority (Thurrock Council), another stakeholder we have collaborated with."

It is not known when the works will be completed but no one was working there for much of yesterday, though at some point the hole was partially filled. And no-one has been seen on site today, to date.

Yesterday Nub new reported on the continued closure of nearby Walton's Hall Road, which links Stanford with Linford and East Tilbury. It is noit expected to be reopened until lat next week at best.