River Beal clean-up plans go on display

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Newhey residents have been seeing how a major sewer improvement plan is going to help clean up the River Beal.

It's part of a £50 million clean-up programme by United Utilities which will upgrade Rochdale's drainage system, bringing massive benefits for local watercourses.

Water company engineers met with local people at an exhibition on board its mobile visitor centre on Shaw Road.

United Utilities project manager, Rob Williams, said: "It was great to meet with local residents and explain what the work involves and how it might affect them. Roadworks like this can be disruptive in the short term, but we'll do everything we can to keep inconvenience to a minimum."

Work begins in mid-July on Shaw Road near Ogden Baptist Church at the junction with Gordon Street. Engineers will be improving a sewer overflow chamber under the main road and installing some new sewers in the area.

When it's completed the drains will be able to store more water in times of heavy rain and, if water does have to overflow into the river, any rubbish or sewer litter will be strained out first.

Work is expected to take 8 weeks and will involve temporary traffic lights on Shaw Road and some restricted parking.

The work at Newhey is the first phase of the 2-year Rochdale sewer programme which will see United Utilities working at a number of different locations to improve the Rivers Roch, Beal and Spodden and the Whittle and Stanney Brooks.

Rob added: "This is a huge investment for Rochdale and it will be the first major overhaul of the town’s Victorian drainage system. It will bring real quality-of-life improvements for everyone who lives here. By cleaning up the local watercourses we could soon welcome back fish like salmon, not seen since before the Industrial Revolution."

Rochdale's sewer improvement scheme forms part of United Utilities' £3.6 billion investment programme between 2010 and 2015, which will bring cleaner, more reliable tap water and a cleaner environment.