Power supply work set to start in village

Temporary traffic lights will be in place due to improvements

THE electricity network in Barwell is set for a major boost as three months of cable upgrade works take place.

Western Power Distribution (WPD) is preparing the village for the power demands of the future, including an expected growing need for electric car charging, with the works set to benefit around 4,000 customers.

Temporary traffic lights will be in place along several roads while the project is carried out. The £160,000 investment will involve engineers replacing existing underground cable with 1.7km of new wiring.

WPD engineer Kingsley White said: “These works are essential to prepare homes and businesses in Barwell for the electricity demands of the future, when we expect more people to own electric vehicles and to be generating and storing more of their own electricity.

“We apologise for any inconvenience caused during the project which will benefit local people for generations to come.”

Roads that will be affected include Queensway, Chesterfield Way, Meadow Road, Shenton Road, Frisby Road, Newlands Road, Kingsfield

Road, Arthur Street, Kirkby Road, Stapleton Lane and Bank Terrace.

Rolling two-way traffic lights will be in place along the route, although efforts have been made to avoid disruption, with some of the works scheduled for the Easter holidays, including a three-day closure of Bank Terrace and Arthur Street.

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council is soon to install six charging points each in its Lower Bond Street and Castle car parks in the centre of Hinckley.

The authority is spending £75,000 on the project, with the potential to increase the number of charging points in each car park to 24.

A GeniePoint rapid charger with two servicing two bays was also set up in Morrisons Hinckley earlier this year, allowing shoppers to top up their car even during a short shopping trip.

The speedy chargers charge an electric car six times quicker than standard charging points.

The Barwell cable overlay project is set to begin on Monday March 16 and will last until June 26.

For more information, visit the Western Power Distribution website.