IT'S back! As anticipated on Thurrock Nub News on Saturday, 7 June after we encounter late night gas inspectors, a team of roadworks and gas engineers turned up today (Thursday, 19 June) to begin work on yet another gas main repair on London Road in Stanford-le-Hope.

Nub News predicted on 7 June that the workers would soon be back.

The situation has almost become comedic, with the same spot dug up many times over the past eight years. But it's not a laughing matter for local residents whose roads are closed, who suffer long queues outside their homes and people making 'rat-run' deviations through residential roads.

Nor is it anything other than a huge impactful blow to businesses on London Road, who regularly see takings diminish when the road is dug up to patch the road again.

Worst hit is the Costcutter, Subway and petrol station owned by businessman Merwin Amirtharaja, who sees takings plummet as access becomes difficult to his premises though the roadworks themselves and queuing traffic.

A clearly angry Mr Amirtharaja spoke to Nub News this morning as the traffic lights were once more being unloaded. He said: "I just cannot understand why this cannot be solved once and for all with a replacement of the main. Myself and staff speak to the workers on site when they are here and they all say that patching is pointless and the main will just fracture in another point once the hole is filled and traffic resumes.

"When I complain to the gas company, Cadent say I can go online and apply for compensation, but that simply isn't so, it doesn't work. It's shocking – and once again, they just turn up. I was made aware of the works but Cadent did not inform me of the start day or how long they needed to finish the work. 

"I have purchased a lot of stock this week because of the hot weather . You don't get this weather quite often. 

"I will be wasting a lot of stuff, especially the short dated chill items. This will affect my cash flow and I am very worried."

Rayleigh Road has been closed.

Like many other local people – and workers on site who have spoken to them – the belief is that Cadent are refusing to carry out major replacement work because of the expense, preferring instead to patch.

The indifference to the situation that Mr Amirtharaja alleges seems replicated in a message to Thurrock Nub News from Cadent's Stephanie van Rosse, the company's media relations manager for 'Reputation & Crisis Communications'.

Earlier this week, after a further conversation with another inspector checking the site, who told us the ground around the pedestrian crossing where work is repeatedly carried out was 'saturated with gas'. Like others before him, he confirmed that engineers who saw the pipe were all in agreement that it should be completely replaced.

However, Ms van Rosse says that isn't necessary, she denied the 'saturation' comment and says it is not a question of money.

She said: "The ground is not saturated with gas. If gas escapes from a pipe, it will get into the ground but when we deal with a gas escape, we vent the area to ensure all gas is removed from the area, including the ground. 

"We always ensure residents' and road users' safety. The pipe will be replaced at an appropriate time. This will depend on the score of the pipe, when the work can be scheduled to complete and gain permission to do the work from the local Highways Authority. It is not a matter of cost or as claimed 'too expensive'. This is not the case at all."

However, today's crew told Nub News the job they were here to do is patch again.

Kingsman Road has been closed.

A formal statement from Cadent says: "Gas emergency engineers are currently dealing with a gas escape on London Road, Stanford-le-Hope. The team have located the gas escape and have ensured the safety of the area. Once the repair has been completed, we will be able to reinstate the road to allow traffic to flow again.

"We are doing everything we can to complete the repair by the end of the weekend. We have also spoken with the local businesses that might be affected by our emergency work.

"We would like to assure residents that all safety precautions are taken to ensure their safety, the safety of road users and our engineers too whilst we complete this essential work. We will not leave this site until everything is completely safe.

"We appreciate that road works can be frustrating, but we do need to complete the repair as safely and quickly as possible."

The road was last dug up in a more than week long operation that started on Tuesday, 29 May, prompting the question 'why does Cadent not know the state (or 'score') of ther pipe when it only so recently exposed for examination?

Work has been taking place on the same piece of mains pipe since 2017, earning the site the nickmane of 'the hole that won't go away'!