By John Baron
A petition calling for an investigation into the delayed reopening of busy Morris Lane in Kirkstall has been backed by more than 200 people.
WLD reported earlier this month that a petition had been launched voicing ‘deep frustration and concern over the prolonged and unacceptable’ closure of the road.
Morris Lane first closed on 9 October last year following a burst pipe which caused flooding between Abbey Walk and Hesketh Mount.
Repairs were originally scheduled to be complete before Christmas, with further dates of March and then May provided by Yorkshire Water. Work has now slipped until August – ten months after the leak occurred.
The petition was launched by Burley resident Stuart Long calling for an immediate investigation into Yorkshire Water’s handling of the Morris Lane works. It demands action from the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) Steve Reed MP and water services regulation authority Ofwat.
Mr Long said: “Every time it gets near to the completion deadline Yorkshire Water pulls the rug from underneath the community and simply extend again. This is leading to logistical nightmares for traffic movement and environmental effects caused by pollution from traffic but also financial hardship for local businesses.”
The petition concludes: “This is not just a local inconvenience — it is a clear breach of public trust and regulatory expectation. We respectfully urge DEFRA and Ofwat to act swiftly, visibly, and decisively.”
The petition can be found here.
Yorkshire Water said engineers have found the repairs more difficult due to work taking place 8.5m below ground and next to a mains electricity cable.
In a statement issued earlier this month, a spokesperson for Yorkshire Water said: “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.”