By John Baron
Kirkstall councillors are ‘beyond furious’ that roadworks on a busy main road are set to continue for another three months until August.
A burst pipe caused flooding on Morris Lane, between Abbey Walk and Hesketh Mount, on 9 October 2024.
It was hoped that work would last around ten weeks and completed before Christmas. But engineers found the repairs more difficult due to work taking place 8.5m below ground and next to a mains electricity cable and announced in December that work would continue until March. That was then extended to early May.
But further delays have now been announced by Yorkshire Water.
In a statement on social media, Kirkstall councillors Hannah Bithell, Andy Rontree and Fiona Venner (Lab) said the delays were having impacting local businesses and residents, as well as creating traffic issues elsewhere.
They said: “We are beyond furious as your local representatives about the increase in time it is taking and have made that very clear in an email we have sent to Yorkshire Water.
“We have also contacted the chief executive of Yorkshire Water to get a meeting to discuss the failings in communication with us and our residents, and the issues with planning the project and so many missed deadlines.
“Cllr Rontree has also referred the matter to the scrutiny board for Infrastructure, Investment and Inclusive Growth, which I chair, so that an investigation can be done. I am working on how best this can be taken forward.
“In summary, the new deadline for the works is end of August, but at this point it is legitimate that we all take this with a pinch of salt. We will keep pressure on Yorkshire Water and will let you know as soon as anything changes.”
The councillors added that a complaint form nearby residents was that there frequently does not seem to be any work taking place.
Yorkshire Water response
An incorrectly mapped cast iron water main is one of the reasons for the latest delays to the ‘complicated and complex’ work.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said: “We appreciate how frustrating delays can be and we thank residents and road users for their ongoing patience as we carry out this complicated and complex repair.
“As with any works of this nature, we do sometimes come across challenges that can set our timescales back slightly.
“Our contract partners recently found an incorrectly mapped cast iron water main, laid pre-1980, which has caused further delay as the main required a vacuum excavator to avoid damaging the pipe. This has impacted the original timelines and schedule of works, requiring detailed design amendments to ensure we can safely continue the permanent fix to the sewer.
“Due to its complexity, we have installed scaffolding and a downpipe in the new manhole shaft to allow us to core drill through the concrete wall. We have engaged specialist contractors to complete this work and, to repair the damaged pipe, specialist steel piping has been ordered and fabricated. Unfortunately, this has added further delays until the bespoke materials are delivered to complete the scheme.
“Our customer liaison teams are in contact with the local community to keep them up to date with proceedings and wherever possible, our contractors are working later evenings, when it will not cause undue disruption to residents neighbouring the site.”
Sponsored content
This should also affect and delay the opening of the Burdger King in Kirkstall as I understand one of the stipulated factors that Morris Ln was to be fully open so they could test a few different traffic light sequences to combat the ridiculous traffic flow problems already in the area but I bet they open before then adding more misery to the daily commute!!!!
Fantastic Service to all involved, not!
I don’t know why it gets described as a “main road”, perhaps due to the amount of traffic it carries. It is fact under government classification an “classified unnumbered road” which is defined as a C or D road, as is Burley Road, Queenswood Drive & Spen Lane. Perhaps the load of traffic on such a road has contributed to the structural failures.
This infuriates me, I have been past there many, many times and there has been zero workmen on this site, I thought they were supposed to be there 7 days a week, what a big fat lie that is, its more like 2 to 3 days a week. They need to get their backsides into gear this road closure has caused untold problems for this area. Quick enough to take money from you for water rates but ludicrously slow fixing problems.
It’ll be things the council have know about, but like most things outside the city centre or student orientated, they try to avoid any issue and ignore !!
This is normal have a usless Labour run council you vote every year, now voted usless Labour run Government. Local MP for this area used to be be Rachel Reeves Chancellor who given the go ahead third runaway Heathrow Airport giving away billions for tunnels down south. She said No to expension to Leeds Bradford Airport. We Need a change now get rid of this usless Labour council & Government.
Think you’ll find this is the result of Tory privatisation with water companies putting shareholder greed ahead of investment in infrastructure. Nothing to do with Leeds City Council or the Labour Government.