MOTORISTS in the Capital are facing more roadworks misery after it emerged almost 400 miles of gas pipes are to be replaced – a job that will take 23 years to complete.
Utility firm Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) said it was replacing the ageing gas mains – which stretch the same distance as Edinburgh to London – as part of a UK-wide safety drive.
Around half of Edinburgh's 850-mile network is being dug up after a ruling from the Health and Safety Executive that old iron mains had to be replaced with new plastic pipes.
However, there will be no further work on the city's tram route as the pipes there are already being replaced as part of the ongoing utility diversion measures.
David Legge, of the Association of British Drivers, said motorists were beginning to feel like it was "one thing after another".
He said: "If these works need done then there is really nothing you can do. But the council needs to try and minimise the disruption caused. It would make sense to wait until the tram project is finished before carrying them out."
Council bosses are due to meet with senior officials from leading utility firms in the coming months to discuss ways of dealing with what is described as the current "unique situation" of roadworks in Edinburgh.
The council said the SGN work was an example of the pressure facing utility firms. Around 70 per cent of gas mains across the country must be replaced under the Health and Safety Executive's guidance, with Edinburgh thought to have around 60 per cent more of the old-style mains than the national average.
The decision to replace the country's ageing gas mains followed the death of a family in an explosion in Larkhall, South Lanarkshire, ten years ago. Andrew and Janette Findlay and their children Stacey, 13, and Daryl, 11, died in the explosion in 1999.
A spokesman for Scotia Gas Networks said: "This represents a multi-million pound investment from Scotia Gas Networks. It is essential work and will provide a safe and secure network for many years to come."
City environment leader, Cllr Robert Aldridge, said: "We take our responsibility to keep Edinburgh moving very seriously and will continue to work with the utility companies to ensure roadworks are managed effectively."
Meanwhile, it has emerged that utility firms paid the council for a total of 252 fixed penalty notices between October and February. The £120 fines were brought in last year to bring contractors to book for not carrying out work correctly.
• www.scotiagasnetworks.co.uk • www.edinburgh.gov.uk