NATIONAL Grid Electricity Distribution is starting one of its biggest upgrades to its network for customers in Lyme Regis next week.

Engineers and contractors will begin work on Monday, October 7 and the project will last until early December.

More than 800 customers in the town, as well as visitors, will benefit from the improvements to network reliability.

Jack Osborne, who is leading the £300,000 project for National Grid Electricity Distribution, said: “We will be updating a substation and installing new underground cables that supply The Cobb area, as well as rerouting some other existing cables.

“Some of this network dates from the 1980s-90s and upgrading it will improve the security of the electricity supply for customers, reducing the likelihood of power cuts.

“It will also lead to an increase in capacity enabling people to connect more low-carbon technologies, such as electric vehicle chargers, battery storage and heat pumps. This work represents an important step in helping Lyme Regis to join the clean energy transition.”

Two Lyme Regis will be affected as the electricity upgrade work starts:

  • Cobb Road will have two-way lights from 7-25 October and then 18 November to 6 December. The road will also be closed for one night in mid-November.
  • Ozone Terrace will be closed to traffic from 14-25 October:

“We recognise closing roads in Lyme Regis will be disruptive and thank people in advance for their understanding and patience,” added Jack.

During the summer, National Grid Electricity Distribution held a meeting with residents and businesses to raise awareness of the work and to answer questions.