Forum Topic

Ealing Road closure

I trust there are workers going at it full tilt all this weekend to complete the "emergency" works, because Windmill Road has been all but gridlocked for three days now causing misery to thousands.

Mike Paterson ● 3076d44 Comments

Yes indeed. Got immediately slapped with a parking ticket virtually outside our own home having not been able to access our own driveway for nearly four weeks. Thanks Hounslow, you scum-sucking parasites.

Mike Paterson ● 3057d

Amen to that, although Enfield didn't seem a *lot* quieter this morning - I hope people haven't decided to make it their favourite rat run. At least Sat's home match shouldn't attract the utter chaos and gridlock the last one did...

Ann Haddleton ● 3057d

Hurrah from all on Enfield Road

Emma Renton ● 3058d

It is open and the 65 is running along South Ealing road again.

Natasha Adams ● 3058d

Cerian, I walk along there at least four times a day and right on the corner and where the subway was, I can no longer smell gas.

Natasha Adams ● 3058d

The art to all these road closures is to explore all the tiny side roads you can cut down.  I too became a cut througher last night having ventured out in the middle of commuter time.  I turned up Boston Manor road and when I got just past the railway bridge I saw a queue of zippy drivers making a right turn, so I followed them.  Roads meant for people driving home to park are fast flowing with a stream of drivers all zipping with their feet on the gas, followed by quick bursts on the brakes.  An absolute nightmare for the houses, cyclists and pedestrians. Still, it worked and very soon I found myself with no traffic queues and on my way to the A40 with very little traffic blocking my way!These road closures have changed the nature of local community roads and the style of driving seems much more aggressive.  Hey ho.

Sarah Felstead ● 3058d

No, Having walked home last night as it's much quicker, the smell in not noticeable at the Petrol station, but the smell of gas is really strong as you get to Layton Road and again as you go over the Bridge on the west side.That said, the smell of gas near the New Inn has been noticeable since I was at school and nothing has ever happened, so maybe it's a venting device over the railway.I reported it years ago and a small leak was found but that must be 18 years ago now before I moved away.Not very pleasant for the locals in the vicinity and the problem is one can get so used to it that it is not noticeable.Anyone else noticed this?

Raymond Havelock ● 3059d

Has anyone noticed if the smell of gas that's lingered there for years has stopped now?!

Cerian Jones ● 3059d

Apparently the  'highways authority ' is TfL. Our highways team are pressing them

Guy Lambert ● 3059d

Thanks for trying Guy!

Mick Brent ● 3060d

National Grid helpfully list two separate roadworks - one on the A4 and one on Ealing Road, both due to finish on 5 April. Calling their helpline I have twice discovered that my call is very important to them, but not important enough to be answered within 20 minutes.TfL, meanwhile, tell us the 65 route will be disrupted until 0500 on 31st March. I suppose one can take comfort from the fact the left hand still appears to not know what the right is doing (not really).

Guy Lambert ● 3060d

Mick - I agree, and I'm doing whatever I can. It has to be said that local authorities have found dealing with utilities intensely frustrating for decades and the situation has not improved.I have asked yesterday why Ealing Road remains closed. Obviously the big hole in the roundabout is an issue but I don't really see why cars (and buses) cannot enter and exit the north section of Ealing Road.Will update as and when I hear something

Guy Lambert ● 3060d

It's all very well for Guy to say that this is nothing to do with the council, but if it is adversely affecting thousands of Hounslow residents, surely the council has a major responsibility to pursue our interests by pushing for a speedy resolution to the situation.

Mick Brent ● 3060d

someone posted something on the internet yesterday - from i think Google Maps saying that the roadworks were scheduled to go till early June.  What??????  Meanwhile it would be great to have at least some realistic idea of what the plan for reopening is.

Emma Renton ● 3060d

The works actually began again at about 7pm on Sunday evening. We could hear it all night.

Natasha Adams ● 3060d

Why on earth was no-one working on these interminable roadworks over the weekend? Having finished working on what we all thought was the problem on Friday, they have today started excavating the middle of the road, so we still have a two-lane closure causing traffic havoc, it's just that the lanes have changed. National Grid are now showing work going on till 5th April on their website. Madness!

Mick Brent ● 3060d

Previous relatively shallow holes fixed, but now they appear to be working on a rival to the Kimberley Diamond Mine (I may be deploying a certain amount of artistic license here). Looks like at least another week of roadworks...

Mark Gormley ● 3060d

Resurfaced Guy after 35 years of potholes subsidence and lack of adequate repairs. And resurfaced not repaired.In any case the road is down to TfL and the Highways agency but the join area 9where the fractures have occurred are always disputed by one party or another and thus do not get resurfaced or repaired at the same time. Which simply leads to the ground disturbance being ongoing and thus a constant knock on.It's the lack of pressure applied to the right agency or authority - which is supposed to come from the local authority that fails again and again.So whilst it is not the council responsible for the works or repairs, it is the council to flag up poor road quality, underlying issues , poor repairs and deficiencies.South Ealing Jcn road may well have been resurfaced but the damage has been done for the decades where the road repairs and surface have been deficient, and that is a failure of stewardship.And there are plenty of other places locally where this is similar albeit not so vital as a road link.

Raymond Havelock ● 3062d

To reiterate, this work had nothing to do with the council, having been undertaken by National Grid - Gas as an emergency repair. It also had nothing to do with alleged poor maintenance: this part of Ealing Road was fully resurfaced in 2014.

Guy Lambert ● 3063d

I regularly walk past at the weekend and didn't see anyone. Walked past twenty minutes ago and the Tarmac is going down in the last hole.

Natasha Adams ● 3063d

Sorry. Having kicked off this thread, I have neglected it and now see many chippers in. I think I was beyond caring. Interesting reading though. The Council has much to answer for. First, lack of maintenance seems have resulted in a much more expensive repair job. The costs to people stuck in traffic and the pollution is, of course immeasurable, literally and metaphorically. But more than anything, when repairs are required on major roads, it is incumbent on whoever ordered the work, to ensure contractors to undertake in on a seven day per week basis. I haven't been checking frequently, but never seen any work being done over weekends. Insult to injury.

Mike Paterson ● 3064d

Yet the report in the news section of this site now says that the work won't be finished until the 29th!

Mick Brent ● 3064d

The one hole remains to be topped off,the rest of the site is clear.

Reg Ghosh ● 3064d

Cement is drying in the last hole. Then just the Tarmac to go on top. They were sorting the last few paving slabs when I went past about half an hour ago too.

Natasha Adams ● 3064d

Just seems to be one lonely hole left tonight, although there was not a single contractor or contractor's vehicle to be seen.

Mick Brent ● 3064d

Oh that was what was happening.  I saw a BUS and just thought I was imaging things.  A BUS cant get down Enfield Road even when there aren't major road works all round us!!!!

Emma Renton ● 3064d

Well that would be nice. We had a Sky Bus, this morning, drive down Avenue Road and into Enfield Road only to realise what a silly sausage he was, and that he had no hope of driving his bloody great big bus down Enfield Road. So imagine the chaos, as he had to back up and turn round and remake his way back onto Windmill Road, where he started.

Sharron Clarke ● 3065d

Most of the holes are filled in - could reopen tonight?

Reg Ghosh ● 3065d

Not sure, but I think this might refer to the separate lane closure activity.

Guy Lambert ● 3067d

Here's the relevant tweet: https://twitter.com/TfLTrafficNews/status/843769161499246592

Susan Kelly ● 3067d

TfL website is still saying Wed at 1700 for 65, but National Grid now suggests 29 March. Haven't been there today but yesterday looked like a long haul to come.

Guy Lambert ● 3067d

TfL are tweeting that it will reopen late tonight. As if.

Susan Kelly ● 3068d

thanks for that info.  if you do get any further updates and change of that date, it would be great if you could post them again on her.  Greatly appreciated

Emma Renton ● 3068d

According to the TfL website the 65 will be diverted until 5pm Wednesday. The national grid website  here:http://www2.nationalgrid.com/UK/In-your-area/Mains-replacement/In-your-streetsays much the same, without specifying a time.

Guy Lambert ● 3068d

More and bigger holes this morning, be at least another week I reckon!

Reg Ghosh ● 3068d

So I am assuming that the road junction isn't opening any time soon.  I take the 65 bus South from South Ealing Road, and am picking it up now from Windmill Road.  Every time I wonder if I am in the right place.  Its ok coming home.  And sometimes the 65 bus will sail past you, ha ha.  Or ignore you.  Grrrrrr.  But interesting comment about the infrastructure etc.  I assume there could be the same sort of long term problems there have been on the bottom of Northfields Avenue and Little Ealing!!!

Emma Renton ● 3069d

Speaking with the contractors on Friday it seems the problem my well be ongoing. It could be a while, and far more reaching works may be looming.The Gas mains were already worked on along with adjacent services in recent times. But the axle loads of HGVs and several years of poorly maintained road surfaces, have increased what is known as 'Hammer Blow' which send shock waves do depths of 6m.  Now it seems the weight of nearby new buildings is causing settlement and has created some pressure points.  The surveyors are a little concerned that it may also be affecting the A4 flyover foundations although they are much deeper and substantial. Monitors are to be fitted.Locals ( and especially cyclists and those with small cars) may recall that the junction of South Ealing Road has had potholes and and uneven surface for at least 2 decades and no proper repairs. Even the resurfacing did not deal with the subsidence until the most recent resurfacing. The Ealing Road side is similar.In the meantime the axle load on HGVs has increased and South Ealing Road carries too many HGVs. Even the buses are nearly a third heavier than types used until the 1990s. One problem with new hybrid and electric buses is their weight is even greater and axle loads plus full passenger loads make for considerable weight on roads simply not constructed for such pressure. The problem is the contracts and specifications for maintenance and repairs are based on the minimum of everything - Profits are at stake.  They are based on out of date specs for loadings that were superseeded decades ago.  It's been a case of brushing over the cracks which, of course, has a knock on for the ageing infrastructure buried below.So diversions and delays in this district, given that the infrastructure is very old and complex as it all converges on the former sites of a Gas works and water supply works is likely to increase hugely with developments that are not taking into account of the inadequate infrastructure that has only been remedied for the existing envirion and not what is being planned.This is really another example of why all the basics need to be planned and in place before any sort of large developments are even considered and why these factors need to be considered with far more gravitas than current.

Raymond Havelock ● 3069d

Now day 10 of these so-called emergency works.

Mike Paterson ● 3070d

I have just walked past the A4 and Windmill junction and its CHAOS !!!!!

Emma Renton ● 3075d

As far as I can tell, no work was done over the weekend. This does not spell "emergency" in my book. More commute misery for thousands.

Mike Paterson ● 3075d

Totally agree.

Mike Paterson ● 3075d

bus driver on the 65 bus yesterday didnt think the roadworks would be finished by early next week!!!  And in thirty years of living in North Brentford Windmill Road was the worst very worst I have ever seen it!!!!!

Emma Renton ● 3076d

Too right. It will only get worse. Council is in thrall to developers.

Mike Paterson ● 3076d

1 hour 10 mins on the 65 yesterday morning to Ealing Broadway.The diversion route cannot cope.But this is a clear example of what overdose developments will lead to without proper infrastructure.It's just one smallish main road out and it has rippled for a mile each way.

Raymond Havelock ● 3076d