THOUSANDS of pounds are to be spent upgrading cables which power homes and businesses in Nelson.

Disruption is expected in the Hallam Road and Marsden Hall Road area until January while engineers carry out the work which has already started.

Almost 500 homes and businesses are set to benefit from the scheme which will upgrade 2km of underground cables.

Electricity North West has said the £196,000 engineering project is “essential”.

Dave Kenneford, engineering delivery manager, said: “We know that roadworks can sometimes be a nuisance, but we hope the local community supports this essential work which will help ensure the lights stay on for another 70 years.

“This is great news for the residents and businesses in Nelson and we’re proud to be investing in the local area.”

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He said engineers will keep any disruption to a minimum and there will be temporary traffic lights in place to allow the work to be carried out safely.

Work will stop over the festive period and complete around the end of January.

Cllr Sajid Ali, chairman of Nelson Town Council, said the work was important.

He said: “It will be more in-keeping with the area.

“It will make the supply more cost effective, eco-friendly and reliable.

“500 homes and businesses will benefit, but think about how many people that is.

“The roads they are working on are not main gateways or very busy roads that will cause much disruption.

“They are secondary roads and it is not a major upheaval that will affect schools, colleges and businesses.

“They have to do it for progress and to improve the service.”

The project comes after the region’s power supplier started work in Rossendale to replace 80-year-old cables.

The company said that almost 700 homes and firms will benefit from the £380,000 work.

Engineers will be working in the Park Road Industrial Estate in Bacup and Newchurch Road in Rawtenstall until January.

The new cables will replace 2.7km of the ageing cables.

If customers have any queries about the project, they can call Electricity North West on 105 or 0800 195 4141 or follow @ElectricityNW.