THE sun may be getting ready to put his hat on, but that hasn’t stopped Cadent in the East of England planning for colder conditions to ensure that residents have access to heat and hot water no matter what the weather.
Cadent has confirmed investment of more than £120million to modernise over 395km of its East of England gas pipelines over the next 12 months (April 2026 to March 2027).
This is around the same straight-line distance as Cambridge to Paris, Norwich to Dusseldorf, Ipswich to Jersey, Hemel Hempstead to Amsterdam, Peterborough to Dublin, or the length of 1,000 Clacton Piers, or the height of 5985 Ely Cathedrals!
The work will be delivered by skilled engineers as they replace ageing metallic pipes – many of which are over 100 years old – with new plastic ones which will futureproof the network and allow gas to keep flowing.
Upgrading the East of England network means 1.8 million properties will receive a safe and reliable gas supply for many years to come.
Homes, schools, hospitals and other buildings use gas for heat and hot water, some of the region’s biggest industries need it to power production processes, and it is the fuel of choice for a rising number of HGV fleets.
“We are very aware that the majority of homes across the East of England rely on gas for central heating and hot water, and it’s our job to make sure they get it, safely and reliably, throughout the year,” said Head of Work Management Eleanor Buxton, who leads the team responsible for planning and scheduling Cadent works in the region.
“Metallic gas pipes have a safe working life and as they reach the end of that, it is our responsibility to replace them.
“These upgrades also have big environmental gains, as they reduce methane emissions and enable a move to more renewable gases like biomethane. This is essential for a cleaner future – the UK will need energy to come from a range of sources to meet demand and be sustainable.”
The work is part of a 30-year programme, which started in 2002, to upgrade the entire UK gas network.
Every year, Cadent is responsible for the upkeep and safe working of around 23,000km of pipes in the East of England, which are mostly underneath the region’s roads. When needed, this includes replacing ageing or severely damaged pipes.
Eleanor added: “In most cases we can 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.
“The upgrades also mean an end to what can often become return visits – with associated disruption – to repair faults on the older metallic mains, as they start to show signs of age.
“We know roadworks aren’t ideal, but my team is determined to move as quickly as they safely can and get the work done with as little disruption as possible.”
By distance in metres, the ‘top five’ workload Highways Authority areas for 2026-27 are: Hertfordshire County Council 115,933, Suffolk County Council – 72,728, Essex County Council – 68,794, Norfolk County Council – 64,457, and Cambridgeshire County – 23,037.
Metres of pipe to be upgraded in 2026 – 27, by local Highways Authority area (rounded to nearest metre):
Hertfordshire County Council – 115,933
Suffolk County Council – 72,728
Essex County Council – 68,794
Norfolk County Council – 64,457
Cambridgeshire County Council – 23,037
Luton Borough Council – 15,228
Enfield Borough Council – 9,813
Bedford Borough Council – 8,766
Central Bedfordshire Council – 7,557
Buckinghamshire County Council – 6,085
Barnet Council – 5,386
Haringey Council – 1,701
Remember, if you ever smell gas, always ring the National Gas Emergency Service immediately on 0800 111 999*, day or night. Do not assume it is related to these works; it may not be and needs to be checked.
