Work to begin on extending the gas mains network into Falkirk's Forgotten Villages

Scottish Gas Network (SGN) has confirmed it will start work on connecting the villages of Whitecross, Letham, California, Avonbridge and Slamannan to its gas mains network.

The project is due to start in October and will run until April 2025. Connections to the network should be available to residents, depending on which village they stay in, between April 2024 and April 2025.

The news will be welcomed by many residents in the area who have in the past faced huge energy bills due to the THERMAflow electric heating system Falkirk Council recommended be installed in their homes combining with the Scottish Power fuel tariff as there was no mains gas supply available. The extraordinarily high bills had led to the creation of the Falkirk’s Forgotten Villages – Ending Fuel Poverty campaign back in November 2019 which ran for two years.

Ahead of works starting, SGN is hosting four drop-in sessions for residents in the local communities to find out more about the project and to ask any questions.

A spokesperson for SGN said: “If you live in any of these villages, you may have the opportunity to connect your property to our gas network. All local authority owned properties in Whitecross, Letham, California, Avonbridge and Slamannan will be offered a connection to our gas network, while residents who privately own their property will have the chance to apply for a connection.”

The planned drop in sessions are at Slamannan Community Education Centre, Slamannan on Wednesday, October 4 between 4pm and 7.30pm; Avonbridge Community Hall, Avonbridge on Thursday, October 5 between 4pm and 7.30pm and Whitecross Primary School, Whitecross on Tuesday, October 10 between 4.30pm and 7.30pm. A session will also take place in Letham on Monday, October 9 from 11am to 3pm when the SGN Mobile Unit will be outside the car park at the corner of 42 Letham Cottages.

Upper Braes councillor Claire Mackie-Brown, who was a co-founder of the Falkirk’s Forgotten Villages Group before becoming a councillor, has welcomed the news that work is to start.

She said: “I am delighted that we are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, with confirmed dates for the mains gas installation works. My constituents have suffered and struggled for far too long and after all the hard work, they will now be able to enjoy warmer homes and the flexibility to make their energy more efficient and affordable. Through the commitment and negotiations of the Falkirk's Forgotten Villages Group, Co-founder Fiona Gordon, and Falkirk Conservative Group we were able to secure the funding.”

SGN have said that their initial investigation works will begin in the Whitecross area in October with the project to connect the village to the network likely to begin in November.

They have advised that temporary traffic lights, road closures and some parking suspensions will be in place for the duration of the works in the local communities.

The connection for Whitecross will be taken from Main Street in Linlithgow Bridge towards the village via Station Road. The Letham connection will be taken from Castle View, Airth along the A905. Works will also extend the mains from the B8028/Cross Brae through California, Avonbridge and on to Slamannan.

According to current time lines it is anticipated SGN will be commissioning the mains for service connections in Whitecross in May 2024; Letham in April 2024; California in April 2024; Avonbridge in September 2024 and Slamannan in April 2025.

Details of the planned works, including maps, can be found on the SGN website here