The company responsible for the controversial Keystone XL pipeline has performed a dramatic U-turn, as they agreed to discuss an alternative route.

TransCanada say they will change the course of the pipeline away from the environmentally sensitive area of the Nebraska Sandhills. Alex Pourbaix, TransCanada’s president, Energy and Oil Pipelines said:” I can confirm the route will be changed and Nebraskans will play an important role in determining the final route.”

The company have agreed to work alongside Nebraska’s Department of Environmental Quality and conduct an environmental assessment to decide on a better location for the pipe.

Keystone have insisted the pipeline will be the safest of any pipeline in North America, boasting 21,000 sensors which will monitor it by satellite 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, with data refreshed every five seconds.