Key gas upgrade works to get underway in Cookstown

Following early notice issued last year, Evolve has issued a reminder of important gas expansion works set to get underway in Cookstown, commencing 12th January 2026 to support growing demand for gas in the area. Initial works in the town centre are scheduled to run until the spring, covering Chapel Road, James Street, William Street, Orritor Street and some of the surrounding roads, with details on further works to be shared as the programme progresses throughout the coming months. 

 

To help minimise disruption, temporary traffic management measures may be required at various points of the works. These could include short-term road closures, single lane closures, temporary lights and any other traffic control systems as required. Notifications will be issued to those who may be affected throughout the works, however all motorists, residents and businesses can keep up to date with the latest plans as they become available via the dedicated roadworks section of the Evolve website: evolvenetwork.co.uk/roadworks 

 

Upon completion, the upgrade will increase capacity on the Cookstown network, ensuring many more homes and businesses can connect to Evolve’s state-of-the-art gas infrastructure. This will futureproof the town centre and enable customers to instantly reduce their carbon emissions while enjoying the wider benefits of gas. 

 

Mark Davidson, Head of Engineering at Evolve, said: “We sincerely thank the local community for their cooperation during the upcoming upgrade works. As ever, we will strive to minimise disruption as much as possible and kindly advise motorists to keep an eye on our website and plan any journeys in advance. 

 

“We are delighted that many more homes and businesses in Cookstown will soon have access to our network to enjoy the immediate and long-term benefits of gas. As a cleaner and more efficient energy source compared to oil and solid fuel, our gas infrastructure will ultimately play a key role in decarbonising the west of Northern Ireland, particularly with ongoing biomethane developments in our network.” 

 

The first-ever direct-to-grid injection of biomethane, a fully renewable energy source, took place within the Evolve network in 2023, in what was a landmark moment for the decarbonisation of energy. 

 

The integration of renewable and sustainable energy sources into existing gas grids has also been identified as a crucial step by government. Connecting to the gas network to take advantage of the plan to fully decarbonise the gas being used is a recommendation in the Northern Ireland Executive’s Path to Net Zero Energy Strategy. 

 

Evolve recently celebrated its 5000th connection, just five years after the network officially went live in 2020, amid increasing demand for gas connections from local residents and businesses throughout the west of Northern Ireland. Joining the many thousands of households already connected, Marissa McGuckin is one of the latest residents to experience the advantages of Evolve's growing network. 

 

She said: “It’s great to be joining the network at a time when Evolve is marking such an important milestone, and our experience so far has been really positive. The heating responds quickly, the hot water is always there when we need it, and the whole system feels much more efficient than what we had before. The process was straightforward from start to finish, and we’re already noticing how much more comfortable and convenient the house feels.”

 

To find out more about connecting to gas and any upcoming improvement works, visit: www.evolvenetwork.co.uk