Openreach to invest in new broadband network for Bramley following fuel leak
Openreach today announced that it’s proceeding with a major broadband infrastructure upgrade in Bramley, Surrey, after a prolonged period of disruption caused by a fuel leak from a local petrol station.
The company originally announced upgrades to the area’s ageing copper network back in 2021, but the fuel leak subsequently contaminated parts of its network and forced Openreach to restrict access to its underground ducts for safety reasons.
Over the past 18 months, Openreach has worked closely with environmental experts, local authorities, and safety specialists to manage the risks posed by petrol vapours in its underground network. It deployed vapour extraction units, conducted extensive safety assessments, and introduced strict new protocols to protect the public.
With these measures in place and the risk levels reduced, Openreach recently reopened access to its underground network in Bramley, allowing its own teams and engineers from other companies (alt-nets) to resume build and maintenance work on their networks. This significant milestone in the recovery effort now paves the way for a transformative upgrade to the local network using ultra-reliable Full Fibre broadband.
A Long-Term Solution for Bramley
Openreach’s new network will deliver Full Fibre - the UK's most reliable broadband technology - to around 2,500 homes and businesses across Bramley, both inside and outside the previously restricted area. The network will be far less prone to service issues caused by extreme weather and environmental impacts, making it a future-proof solution for the community’s connectivity needs.
Andy Whale, Openreach’s Chief Engineer, said: “This has been a really frustrating situation for residents and businesses in Bramley, but we now see some light at the end of the tunnel. We want to turn a bad situation good by not just repairing and restoring the damaged network that exists today, but by building something much faster, more reliable and longer lasting.”
“This Full Fibre upgrade is a long-term investment in Bramley’s future, supporting local people and businesses to move on from the disruption with a network they can rely on for decades. We hope it’ll help the local community and economy to recover, grow and thrive in a digitally connected future.”
Rt Hon Sir Jeremy Hunt MP said: "I'm delighted to support Openreach's investment in Bramley. These upgrades recognise Openreach's support for the wider Bramley community which is recovering from a very tough couple of years with the fuel leak. Openreach's ongoing commitment to Bramley is commendable and I would like to offer my personal thanks for the service the team have provided to address and resolve significant consequences of the fuel leak - a situation not of their making. Openreach enabling access to reliable and high-speed internet will bring substantial benefits to both residents and local businesses - this really is brilliant news for Bramley!
Councillor Jane Austin, Waverley Borough Cllr and Chair of Bramley Parish Council said: ”The Bramley community has struggled for years with poor connectivity, and then the awful fuel leak meant many of us were plunged into no / glitchy internet for months on end. I can't overstate what a positive difference full fibre rollout will make for Bramley residents and businesses. Openreach have listened to our concerns about the prospect of potential disturbance with rollout and they have come up with a plan to minimise disruption. We look forward to continuing our constructive working relationship so we can improve the Bramley area; our community is bouncing back even stronger than we were before."
Minimising Disruption, Maximising Benefits
Openreach is committed to delivering the upgrade with minimal local disruption. Its engineers are confident they can do that by reusing existing underground ducts and telephone poles wherever possible, to minimise and avoid roadworks and closures.
The company is also working closely with Bramley Parish Council and other local groups and stakeholders to make sure the community is informed and involved throughout the process.
In the meantime, Openreach has been maintaining connectivity in the area through a combination of remote fault fixes, temporary satellite hubs at key community locations, and alternative network solutions.
Looking Ahead
The Full Fibre build is expected to begin in the coming weeks.
Safety protocols – including the use of gas and petrol vapour detection units and ongoing monitoring – will remain in place throughout the build and beyond, as a precautionary measure, and Openreach reserves the right to reintroduce stricter safety measures if they become necessary.
Residents and businesses will be contacted directly with more information about the upgrade and what it means for their service.
A dedicated webpage and community mailbox (which can be reached via e-mail to bramley-incident@openreach.co.uk) for vulnerable customers remain available for updates and enquiries.
