WATER chiefs have announced a £58m programme to upgrade or replace sewage, clean water and raw water pumping stations across the region.

The Yorkshire Water scheme will see hundreds of pumping stations upgraded over the next five years.

And among the first to benefit will be the sewage pumping station at Bolton-on-Swale, near Richmond.

From October 18, contractors Mott MacDonald Bentley will be replacing the pumps, building a new "wet well" and installing a new kiosk at the site, which is located at the end of an access track along from Bolton Hall. Once completed, the existing installation will be removed.

The improvements at the site should be completed by Christmas - and Yorkshire Water has pledged to minimise any noise and disruption from site-related traffic.

Project manager Craig Proctor said: "We’re committed to ensuring our pumping stations, and indeed all of our assets, are performing to the highest possible standards.

"Our pumping stations carry out a vital role and its imperative that these are operating effectively and efficiently all of the time and this investment is vital in helping us to achieve this goal and ensuring we further reduce the risk of any operational failures at our sites."

The project is part of the company's wider £1.9 billion programme of investment over the next five years to deliver improvements to its water and sewage network, as well as the region's beaches, bathing waters and rivers.