Safety comes first when replacing gas pipes on estates

Published: 20 May, 2011

• GAS safety can be a worrying issue. So I’d like to set the record straight regarding gas works on Homes for Islington (HfI) estates. 

National Grid is the national company responsible for ensuring gas is delivered to more than 20 million homes. As part of this, it maintains and replaces gas mains and risers. In short, it looks after gas pipes in the street and on buildings right up to the gas meter in your home. 

The gas pipes inside homes, from the gas meter to where you use it (the boiler or cooker) are maintained by HfI.

National Grid has its own ongoing programme of replacing gas pipes, depending on a number of factors, including the age of the pipes. This programme is not only across estates, but all homes.

On the Popham estate, HfI and National Grid have met a number of times with the tenants’ association to discuss the options for National Grid’s work on the estate, setting out the advantages and disadvantages of these options. A final decision on this will be made by residents by the end of May.

On the Spa Green estate, National Grid will have risk-assessed the need to replace gas pipes there. 

HfI takes residents’ safety very seriously and would never compromise this. 

Unfortunately, there have been a number of recent articles mentioning unsafe gaps between pipes and electric cables and buildings exploding; these have been sensationalised and are based on incorrect and false information. 

STEPHEN KIRRAGE
Homes for Islington director of 
property services