Last updated at 11:04, Tuesday, 05 February 2013

A double road closure has ended ahead of schedule in Keswick.

Main Street reopened yesterday after being closed since January 7 and United Utilities said engineers had “pulled out all the stops” to get repair work on a sewer completed early.

They had expected to be working until the end of February.

Brundholme Road was also due to reopen yesterday.

Project manager Simon Povey said a combination of hard work and changes to the work schedule had contributed to getting the job done more quickly.

“The staff on site have done incredibly well and have really gone the extra mile for our customers in Keswick to finish the work more quickly,” he said.

“We all knew closing a main road here would be a major headache, which is why we did so much planning and liaison with local organisations like Keswick Tourist Association.

“We planned for the worst, but by working extra hours, and making some adjustments we have cut our original estimate of the duration in half. That doesn’t happen very often.”

The work is part of the final stages of a three-year £23m project to increase the capacity of Keswick's sewerage system, clean up Bassenthwaite Lake and ease the problem of sewer flooding in Elliot Park.

Mr Povey thanked the town council and highways officials for working with them. “A lot of people put a lot of time and effort in,” he added. “Their support has been essential. Apart from a few short-lived temporary traffic lights, this is the last major work we need to do on Keswick’s roads.”

First published at 11:00, Tuesday, 05 February 2013
Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk