As the major incident in Stannington and Malin bridge continues I wanted to update everyone on  Cadent’s progress reconnecting gas supplies and what I have been doing on behalf of constituents. 

As of this morning Cadent are reporting that 900 homes have had their gas turned back on. They are still pumping significant amounts of water out of the gas pipes and as a result 1080 homes are still disconnected. Cadent hope to get another 500 homes reconnected today and another 500 tomorrow. They currently have no timescale for the homes in Malin Bridge as there is a significant amount of water that is still being removed.

I have been lobbying Ministers for urgent support, returning to Parliament yesterday afternoon to raise the major incident in the House of Commons chamber. Since then, I have been in contact with representatives and Ministers from across government to arrange greater support for residents. This followed discussions earlier in the week with the Chancellor, alongside a formal written request for aid addressed to the Chancellor and Secretaries of State for Environment, Communities, and Energy. I have been assured that the relevant Departments are now taking steps to provide assistance.

I have been working closely with Sheffield City Council, Cadent, Yorkshire Water, the Association of British Insurers and others to provide support and advice, and myself and my team have been stationed at the emergency hub speaking directly to affected residents. I will continue to be present in Stannington over the weekend. I am also very aware many businesses have been forced to close and I am hoping to speak to business owners to see what assistance they need.

National Powergrid has three food vans supplying free food for anyone affected. 1000s of items have been handed out to help keep people warm by Cadent. Cadent, Yorkshire Water and Council staff have been doing welfare checks on the vulnerable and wider community.

As temperatures drop I am encouraging everyone who is struggling to access support, or if you are concerned about a friend, neighbour or family member, to please contact the council directly on 0114 2734567. Any queries about gas supply should be directed to Cadent’s dedicated incident helpline, 0800 917 9598. Alternatively you can reach out to me with any queries or questions: olivia.blake.mp@parliament.uk.

I know many people in Stannington and the surrounding areas want to know how this was allowed to happen in the first place. When I met with Yorkshire Water they assured me they are looking into the causes of the burst water main. Once the initial incident has been resolved, I believe there should be a full investigation so that residents of Stannington receive answers for what went wrong and why.

I once again want to thank everyone who is on the ground working to resolve this terrible situation. For all those who have been affected, and especially to those who are still without gas, I am so sorry for what you are going through. Please do not hesitate to get in touch.