Severn Trent Water complete Millgate works and the Newark road has re-opened

Sewer replacement work on Millgate, Newark, is complete and the road has now re-opened to traffic.

The road has been closed or partially-closed since last year to allow Severn Trent Water to carry out work as part of its four-year Newark waste and water improvement project.

The road was closed so that a sewer connection to a new tunnel could be created.

The sewer upgrades on Millgate were completed last week, and the road was fully re-opened at 4pm on Friday.

This means Millgate and Southfield Terrace are open to through traffic again, but it also means the whole of Hawtonville is now connected to Newark’s main sewer tunnel.

Millgate and Southfield Terrace have returned to being one-way streets as they were before work started.

During normal weather conditions the old sewers will continue to work adequately, but when there is a storm the sewers will surcharge and spill into the tunnel rather than flood houses and gardens.

Severn Trent has also permanently closed off a storm overflow to the River Trent from Millgate.

Previously, during heavy rain, the sewers would spill over into the river. When the Newark works are complete, Severn Trent will have closed off ten off these overflows so the quality of water in the Trent will be greatly improved.

So far more than 300 domestic properties have been protected from being flooded with raw sewage thanks to the £60m project, which is due to end next year.

Severn Trent Water customer liaison officer for water Charlotte Crake said: “We know our works have caused much disruption over the last two years but at least now Newark and its environment are starting to benefit.”

In other parts of Newark, work continues on the four-year project.

The one-way system remains in place on London Road, with Bowbridge Road closed at its junction with London Road.

Sewer replacement on Sydney Street continues and will extend into the junction with Appletongate next week, with three-way traffic lights used to keep vehicles moving around the working area.

Parking spaces in the junction of Sydney Street and Appletongate will need to be suspended to avoid dangerous parking in the traffic-controlled zone.

From Monday, the sewer replacement site on Wolsey Road advanced into the junction of Stephen Road, meaning some properties losing and others regaining vehicle access.

Access to Wolsey Road is be via Alexander Avenue, Fleming Drive or from the Lincoln Road end. Vehicle access to the Stephen Road vehicle entrance to Bishop Alexander School is via Fleming Drive.

This connection work will mark the end of sewer upgrades in the north of Newark and will take up to two weeks.