PARENTS and residents in Dawlish are braced for further disruption with the restart of work by South West Water.

From next week, the company, which is midway through a multi-million pound project currently aimed at improving water quality, will resume work in Elm Grove Road.

The road, which is home to Dawlish College and Gatehouse Primary School, will be subject to a one-way system and a 20mph speed limit.

Work in this area had been due to be carried out in the summer holidays but was delayed following the discovery of an unmapped gas pipe.

The work is expected to continue until the end of March and involves surface water separations works being carried out near Dawlish College.

SWW says road entrances and exits will be manned during school pick up and drop off times.

In a letter to residents, the water company said: ‘We will do all we can to minimise any disruption.

‘However, on street parking will be restricted and some properties may not have vehicular access to their driveway during this time.’

Work had stopped over Christmas and New Year across all the sites in and around Dawlish, except West Cliff Road which will remain closed until January 18.

On January 5, tank construction work will resume on the Lane, at Sandy Lane and in Brook Street.

And in February, SWW plans to carry out work in Piermont Place which will require a diversion on the A379 with four-way traffic lights in place.

County Councillor Rosie Dawson said the Elm Grove Road work had to be done because an ‘unmapped’ gas pipe had prevented work during the summer holidays.

She explained: ‘From starting the discussion at total road closure, myself and the school have pushed for an improved and fully manned plan including a one way system that would allow a slow but continuous flow of traffic at school times and continued essential deliveries.

‘If SWW stick to the proposal, it will involve their personnel at several points in the scheme during those busy periods to ensure the movement of traffic and the safety of children.

'If they aren’t granted this time it will result in a delay in the whole scheme completion which nobody wants.’

In a letter to parents, Dawlish College head teacher Sam Banks said: ‘The school and Ivy Education Trust have been consulted on the disruption and we have been engaging to try to secure the ‘least worst’ situation for our staff, students, families and other residents.’

The overall scheme is aimed at reducing the use of storm overflows and helping improve water quality in local rivers and the sea.

Storm overflows are typically used when heavy rain overwhelms the system.

Underground tanks on the Lawn and at Sandy Lane should provide capacity so that more wastewater can be stored at times of heavy rainfall then treated, reducing the reliance on storm overflows in Dawlish. Work is scheduled to be completed by May 2026.