TRAINS were stopped, roads closed and homes evacuated due to a “significant” gas leak in Salisbury.

Gas firm SGN, along with fire crews, have been working through the night after the leak was discovered at a site off London Road at around 4pm on Wednesday afternoon.

The emergency services imposed a 60-metre cordon around the leak site, which saw the Salisbury to Andover stretch of the railway closed.

At 6.45am this morning (April 18), a Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service (DWFRS) spokesperson said the cordon remained in place.

“SGN have been working through the night to access the damaged gas pipe,” they said. “DWFRS remain on scene to maintain a 60m safety cordon around the leak, but have scaled back attendance to one fire engine and a water carrier.

“The Salisbury to Andover stretch of railway line is still closed.

“Anyone in the immediate area may still be able to smell gas in the air, so the advice remains to stay indoors and keep doors/windows closed,” they added.

And the DWFRS has since updated residents, saying repairs to the damaged pipe are “expected to take until early afternoon”, with the rail line set to remain closed until the work is complete.

“DWFRS remain on scene to maintain a 60m safety cordon around the leak, but have scaled back attendance to one fire engine and a water carrier,” they added.

Railway services between Salisbury and Andover
South Western Railway said it expects disruption on services running through Salisbury and Andover until 2.30pm today (Thursday, April 18).

All lines are blocked, the firm said, with the following alterations in place:

• 1 train per hour will run between Exeter St Davids and Salisbury.
• 1 train per hour will run between Salisbury and Waterloo (diverted via Southampton).
• 1 train per hour will run to shuttle between Basingstoke and Andover.
• Grateley station will not be served

To assist passengers tickets will be accepted, at no extra cost, on the following services:

• Great Western Railway services between Exeter St Davids and London Paddington (in both directions)
• Great Western Railway services between Basingstoke and Reading (in both directions)
• Great Western Railway services between Salisbury and Westbury (in both directions)
• London Underground via any reasonable route (for travel between London Waterloo and London Paddington)
• Stagecoach South 8 between Andover and Salisbury
• Stagecoach South 76 between Basingstoke – Overton – Whitchurch Andover
• Salisbury Reds 8 between Salisbury and Andover

“Rail replacement buses have been requested but due to a short supply we are currently unable to provide a rail replacement service,” a South Western Railway spokesperson said.

“Passengers are able to arrange their own taxis in order to complete their journey between Salisbury and Basingstoke and claim this back from our Customer Services Team.”

After the leak was discovered, three fire crews – two from Salisbury and one from Wilton – were sent to the scene, along with water carriers from Andover and Wilton, and an incident command vehicle from Devizes.

“As a precaution, an 80m cordon was put in place, and around 75 people were evacuated to a place of safety,”the spokesperson said.

London Road was closed between the A30/A338 roundabout and the Hampton Park roundabout, but has since been reopened.

“There may be some issues with mobile phone coverage in the area around the leak, as two masts need to be closed down temporarily as a safety measure,” the spokesperson said.

“Anyone in the immediate area may still be able to smell gas in the air, so the advice remains to stay indoors and keep doors/windows closed.”