ELECTRICITY bosses have refuted claims there has been a delay that has paused essential flood defence work in Kendal.
Work has been ongoing along the Aynam Road stretch of the flood works since August with the right-hand lane and footpath being closed due to the operation.
An Environment Agency spokesman said work was ‘unable to start’ because of a delay in a project led by SP Electricity North West (ENW) to move its cabling equipment from the riverbank.
But a spokesman for ENW said work was ‘on track’.
"We refute the claims that have been made and the work to divert high voltage cables to enable flood defence work is running to schedule,” said the spokesman.
"We shared the timeline for this significant engineering project with the Environment Agency in October stating that work would be completed in late February. We have since worked hard to bring this date forward to late January with teams working over several weekends.
"We understand the need for this essential work and are on track to deliver it as agreed."
In a statement to The Westmorland Gazette about the scheme’s progress along Aynam Road, an Environment Agency spokesperson said: “We are still unable to start construction until the Electricity North West diversion is complete which is currently underway.
“Current indications from Electricity North West is that the diversion won’t be complete until the New Year.”
The spokesperson said it was revising its programmes for progress ‘accordingly’ and added that pressure is being applied on the electricity provider to get the work done ‘as soon as possible’.
The Environment Agency said it was 'reducing further impacts on residents' by removing the lane closure on Aynam Road and returning it to two-lane traffic. It will remain so for the Christmas and New Year period.
Upon completion, the work along Aynam Road will see permanent flood defences in place along the River Kent.
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